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ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 


ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN: 


A  .V«.':r  Mivr  '-'F  TiiK 


VOYAGE  OF  THE  WILDFIRE 

TO    CALIFORNIA. 


tnitlj  Itnrirs,  torftntrs,  <£tr. 


BY  FANNY  FOLEY, 

ONE  OP   THE    PASSENGERS,  DAUOHTEE  OF  AN   OFPICEE  OP  THE 
MEDICAL    8TAPP. 


"I,  too,  have  been  upon  thy  rolling  breast, 
Wildest  of  waters!  I  have  seen  thee  lie 
Calm,  as  an  infant  pillow'd  in  its  rest 
On  a  fond  mother's  bosom,  when  the  sky, 
Not  smoother,  gave  the  deep  its  azure  dye, 
Till  a  new  heaven  was  arch'd  and  glass'd  below." 
J.  Q.  PEBCIVAL. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

LINDSAY  AND  BLAKISTON. 

1850. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1850, 
BY  LINDSAY  AND  BLAKISTON, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District  of 
Pennsylvania. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
0.  SHERMAN,  PRINTER. 


PS 


TO  THE  READER 


THE  following  narrative  was  handed  to  us  by  a  friend 
of  the  writer,  to  whose  care  the  manuscript  was  forwarded. 
It  would  not,  probably,  have  surprised  her,  had  she  met 
with  it  in  the  form  of  a  serial,  in  one  of  our  literary 
journals,  under  the  modest  heading  of  "A  Trip  to  Cali 
fornia;"  but  it  will,  perhaps,  startle  her  not  a  little,  to 
find  that  she  has  written  a  book  bearing  a  title  of  some 
pretension. 

It  is  but  fair  to  state  our  opinion,  that  the  real  name  of 
the  writer  has  not  been  given.  Fanny  Foley  sounds 
rather  fictitious ;  and  possibly  all  the  names  mentioned  in 
the  narrative  are  so,  in  order  to  avoid  offence.  Even  that 
of  the  ship  may  not  be  genuine. 

There  has  manifestly  been  no  effort  at  display,  in  deli 
neating  ocean  scenery ;  this  having  been  often  well  done 
by  others.  In  fact,  Miss  Foley  seems  to  have  left  home 
with  a  romantic  anticipation  of  thrilling  adventure  by 


259442 


X  TO  THE  READER. 

sea,  such  as  shipwreck,  capture  by  pirates,  or  some  other 
catastrophe ;  and  being  disappointed  in  these  expectations, 
devoted  herself  to  depicting  what  may  be  called  domestic 
life  on  shipboard. 

The  work  may  be  safely  commended  to  all,  and  es 
pecially  to  ladies  who  are  about  to  be  associated  with 
others  in  a  long  sea-voyage.  They  may  learn  from  it  to  ^ 
appreciate  the  great  difference,  in  such  circumstances, 
between  a  very  amiable  and  a  very  annoying  temper  and 
deportment. 

"We  have  divided  the  work  into  chapters,  for  the  con 
venience  of  perusal,  and  now  commit  it  to  the  favour  of 
the  reader,  with  a  strong  persuasion,  that  they  who  shall 
read  the  first  chapter,  will  continue  to  the  end. 

THE  PUBLISHERS. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  L 

Departure  from  New  York— Notice  of  Officers  and  Passengers- 
Lucy,  the  Gentle  Governess— Mrs.  Parker— A  Character- 
Harry  Morton — An  Exciting  Incident — First  Sabbath  at  Sea, 

13 

CHAPTER  II. 

Lucy  begins  her  School — Amusing  Conversation — Water-spouts 
—Fanny  thinks  them  of  no  Use— Flare-up  with  Mrs.  Parker— 
Henpecking  to  some  Tune  —  Another  Sabbath  delightfully 
spent— Mrs.  Howard  a  great  Favourite— Harry  Morton  again 

Interesting  Development — Harriet  O'Connor — Her  Mother's 

hapless  Fate,     -        -        -        -        •''','•      '  * 

CHAPTER   III. 

The  Captain's  Newfoundland  Dog  overboard — Mrs.  Parker  and 
Lucy  again — Fanny  Disappointed — Sights  not  worth  Seeing — 
"Whales  don't  come  up  to  her  Expectation — Sam  Parker  miss 
ing—Another  Flare-up—Fanny's  Visit  to  Nero,  the  Cook— 

ftl 

lUo  Janeiro,      -        -  • 


XII  CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

At  Sea  again — Fanny  had  been  111,  and  saw  Little  of  the  City — 
Lucy  and  Colonel  Howard — Astounding  Discovery  of  Harriet's 
Father — Account  of  his  Escape  and  Subsequent  History,  109 


CHAPTER   V. 

Prejudices  of  Seamen — Fanny  teases  Lucy  about  Colonel  Howard 
— Class  in  the  Cabin  to  learn  Spanish — Mrs.  Parker  in  the 
way  as  usual — Passing  the  Straits  of  Magellan — Fanny  wishes 
to  see  «  Storm — Rebuke  of  Captain  Black — Affecting  Incident 
in  his  Life — Enter  the  Pacific — Mr.  Selden  visits  Nero  on  the 
Sabbath — His  Simple  and  Interesting  Story,  -  -  130 

CHAPTER   VI. 

Fanny  becomes  Weary  of  her  Journal — The  Cabin  Party  dull — 
Colonel  Howard  and  Lucy  especially  so — Some  Mystery  about 
it — Board  a  Deserted  Ship — Crew  Murdered  by  Pirates — One 
Survivor — His  Account  of  the  Horrible  Transaction  —  The 
Mystery  Explained,  -  -  -  •-'•  -  •  '-  171 

CHAPTER   VII. 

Amusing  Anecdotes — Speak  a  Vessel  with  Despatches  from  the 
United  States — Harriet  made  Happy  by  a  Letter  from  Home 
— A  Distressing  Occurrence  saddens  every  Heart — Voyage 
draws  to  a  Close  with  great  Sorrow  in  the  Parker  Family — 
Anchor  off  Monterey,  September  2d,  1849,  -  -  198 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Departure  from  New  York — Notice  of  Officers  and  Passengers — 
Lucy,  the  Gentle  Governess — Mrs.  Parker — A  Character — 
Harry  Morton — An  Exciting  Incident — First  Sabbath  at  Sea. 

THE     VOYAGE. 

Monterey,  California,  Sept.  3d,  1849. 

MY  EARfrY,  MY  BELOVED  FRIEND,  ELLEN  : 

TIME  and  change,  it  has  been  said,  are  fatal  to 
school  friendships.  Experience,  my  own  experience, 
does  not  accord  with  this  opinion.  Have  not  four 
weary  moons  waxed  and  waned  since  the  evening 
when  we  exchanged  our  tearful  adieus  on  the  portico 
of  Whitefield  Seminary  ?  and  is  my  heart  less  thine 
own  than  when  we  wrote  our  vow  of  eternal  friend 
ship,  and  signed  our  names  with  our  heart's  blood? 
(Drawn  with  the  point  of  a  pin  from  our  finger-ends.) 


14  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

And  what  changes  have  I  not  passed  through  since 
I  left  my  native  land,  to  encounter  the  unknown 
dangers  of  the  deep  ?  and  still  through  all  and  after 
all,  thy  Fanny's  thoughts  return  to  thee,  and  her 
fondest  desire  is  again  to  be  at  thy  side. 

But  now  to  business.  I  promised  you  to  keep  a 
journal,  from  the  time  of  our  departure  from  New 
York,  which  should  furnish  you  with  a  faithful  pic 
ture  of  life  at  sea :  in  storm  and  in  calm,  in  sick 
ness  and  health,  by  night  and  by  day, — as  the  mar 
riage  service  has  it.  Well,  I  have  fulfilled  my 
contract  to  the  best  of  my  ability ;  and  here,  in  this 
ponderous  packet,  you  have  the  result  of  my  labours, 
up  to  the  day  of  our  arrival  at  this  back  door  of  our 
great  Republic.  Do  not  be  critical  as  to  the  matter 
or  style,  for  indeed  it  was  often  a  difficult  task  to 
keep  my  log,  as  the  sailors  say.  x 

JOURNAL. 

Monday,  June  2d,  1849.  We  left  New  York  at 
7  o'clock  this  morning,  in  the  ship  Wildfire.  I  ad 
mire  the  name ;  it  promises  well  for  adventure.  I 
should  like  to  encounter  all  the  perils  of  the  sea, 
were  I  sure  of  getting  safely  through  them.  Above 
all,  I  desire  to  be  boarded  by  pirates ;  how  sorry  I 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  15 

am  those  gallant  fellows  are  so  scarce,  that  we  can 
not  hope  to  see  them  nearer  than  the  Chinese  Sea. 
Captain  Kid  has  been  my  especial  favourite,  ever 
since  the  time  when  my  mother  used  to  lull  me  to 
sleep,  by  singing  his  address  under  the  gallows.  I 
remember  I  wished  so  much  that  I  had  been  one  of 
the  audience,  to  get  a  share  of  the  gold  he  be 
queathed  so  generously.  Do  you  know  the  lines  ? 

"Good  people,  young  and  old, 
And  you,  my  sailors  bold, 
You're  welcome  to  my  gold ; 
I  must  die." 

I  suppose  he  mentally  added,  "if  you  can  find  it;" 
for,  if  ajl  accounts  are  true,  he  had  stowed  it  away 
in  such  safe  places,  that  to  this  day  it  has  never  been 
discovered. 

When  we  bade  mother  good-bye,  I  believe  she 
was  very  sorry  she  had  not  decided  to  accompany 
us.  But  father  told  her,  if  he  does  not  resign  next 
spring,  he  will  send  for  her.  He  can  tell  by  that 
time  whether  there  is  any  prospect  of  living  com 
fortably  in  California.  You  must  see  mother  often, 
Ellen,  and  be  as  merry  and  foolish  as  you  can,  the 
better  to  supply  my  place  to  her.  Puss  is  too 
young  to  be  a  companion,  and  my  brothers,  you 
know,  will  neither  of  them  be  at  home  this  year. 


16  THE  KOMANCE  OP  THE  OCEAN. 

You  need  not  expect  any  descriptions  of  natural 
scenery  from  my  pen.  I  cannot  endure  anything  so 
silent  and  motionless  as  mountains,  rocks,  and  fo 
rests.  If  there  were  a  volcano  now  in  full  opera 
tion,  or  the  landscape  were  convulsed  by  an  earth 
quake,  with  houses  and  trees  dancing  a  country 
dance,  I  should  think  it  very  grand  indeed. 

While  my  fellow-passengers  are  admiring  the  bay, 
so  famed  for  its  beauty,  and  the  ever-changing 
views  of  the  shore  we  are  so  rapidly  leaving,  I  am 
studying  the  physiognomy  of  those  who  are  to  be 
my  companions  for  the  next  three  or  four  months. 
If  I  have  any  insight  into  character,  I  think  I  shall 
find  much  to  interest  and  amuse  me  among-the  sub 
jects  of  my  scrutiny.  But  I  must  introduce  them 
to  you  by  names,  that  being  all  I  yet  know  myself. 
There  are  Colonel  Howard  and  his  mother,  Captain 
Parker  and  wife,  five  children,  governess,  and  little 
black  boy.  The  Colonel  and  Captain  both  belong 
to  the  regiment  of  which  my  father  is  the  surgeon ; 
therefore  I  shall  have  a  fine  opportunity  of  becom 
ing  well  acquainted  with  my  future  neighbours. 
Then  there  is  the  Rev.  Mr.  Selden,  going  out  as 
chaplain  to  our  post.  The  oificers  of  the  ship  are 
Captain  Black,  a  serious,  gentlemanly  man,  and  his 
mate,  Mr.  Spencer,  a  gallant  fellow,  I  am  sure,  full 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  17 

of  fun,  too,  if  his  merry  eye  tells  truly.  He  is  very 
polite  to  me,  has  sailed  with  brother  Ned,  and  likes 
him  well,  so  of  course  he'll  like  me,  for  everybody 
says  I  am  Ned's  ditto. 

4th.  Eyes,  and  ears,  and  tongue,  have  been  so 
overwhelmed  with  business,  that  for  the  last  two 
days  I  could  not  find  time  to  scratch  a  line.  I  must, 
however,  tell  you  about  the  governess,  Lucy  Mee- 
cham.  She  is  a  lovely  creature :  don't  be  jealous 
Ellen,  when  I  tell  you  that  I  have  already  given 
her  a  warm  corner  in  my  heart.  She  is  taller  than 
I,  has  beautiful  brown  hair,  which  she  arranges  with 
much  taste,  eyes  of  the  softest  blue,  and  a  com 
plexion  clear,  not  very  fair,  but  varying  with  every 
emotion.  She  would  not  be  called  a  beauty,  but  the 
expression  of  her  countenance  is  uncommonly  lovely. 
She  told  me  all  her  history :  that  is,  she  answered 
my  questions,  which  were  neither  "  few  nor  far  be 
tween."  I  call  myself  a  Yankee,  though  really  a 
Pennsylvanian,  because  it  gives  me  a  kind  of  right, 
you  know,  to  catechise  every  one  that  comes  in  my 
way.  Miss  Meecham  has  a  widowed  mother  and  a 
sister  younger  than  herself. 

During  her  father's  lifetime  they  were  wealthy, 
but  at  his  death,  lost  nearly  everything,  I  forget 
how,  and  her  mother  has  now  a  bare  maintenance. 

2» 


18  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

Having  had  a  highly-finished  education,  Lucy 
thought  it  her  duty  to  help  her  mother  by  teaching. 
She  saw  Captain  Parker's  advertisement,  replied  to 
it,  and  had  an  interview  with  him,  liked  his  appear 
ance  and  manners,  and  entered  into  an  engagement 
with  him  without  having  seen  Mrs.  Parker  at  all. 
She  was  first  introduced  to  her  on  board  the  ship. 
I  fancy  Lucy  (though  she  says  nothing)  begins  to 
have  misgivings  as  to  her  prospect  of  usefulness  or 
happiness  in  Mrs.  Parker's  family.  That  lady  is 
the  head  of  the  house,  and  a  complete  tyrant,  I  am 
convinced.  The  Captain  appears  to  be  an  amiable, 
frank,  and  honourable  man,  quite  agreeable  in  con 
versation,  when  his  lady  is  out  of  hearing ;  but  in  her 
presence  he  is  awkward  and  uneasy,  as  if  fearful 
that  he  might  do  or  say  something  that  would  dis 
please  her,  and  so  call  forth  a  reproof  that  would 
expose  the  failings  of  both.  Sarah,  their  oldest 
child,  is  fourteen  years  of  age, — a  pleasant,  affec 
tionate  girl.  The  next  two  are  rude,  uninteresting 
boys.  A  three  year  old  Nannie  is  in  everybody's 
way,  and  a  cross,  ugly  baby,  of  ten  months,  is  toted 
about  from  morning  till  night  on  the  hip  of  poor 
little  Jake,  Mrs.  Parker's  black  boy.  Such  is  the 
family  group :  nothing  attractive  in  the  picture,  cer 
tainly. 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  19 

5th.  I  will  give  you  an  idea  of  our  mode  of  life  on 
shipboard.  We  do  not  rise  early,  but  are  generally 
ready  for  breakfast,  which  is  at  eight  o'clock.  From 
the  table  we  go  up  to  the  deck,  at  one  end  of  which 
an  awning  is  spread,  with  comfortable  settees  under 
it,  and  a  table,  all  firmly  secured  to  the  deck.  Here 
the  ladies,  with  the  Colonel  and  Chaplain,  generally 
assemble,  and  converse  or  do  nothing,  as  each  one 
pleases.  I  beg  Mrs.  Parker's  pardon  for  including 
her  in  this  set  of  idlers.  She  invariably  makes  her 
appearance  with  a  huge  work-basket,  filled  with  what 
appears  to  me  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  shirt-collars 
and  darnable  stockings.  I  asked  her  very  civilly  this 
morning  if  she  darned  for  the  Captain's  company. 
Oh  you  ought  to  have  seen  her  eyes,  what  a  look  she 
gave  me !  Yet  she  answered  me  never  a  word ;  but 
just  then,  Jake  happening  to  be  in  unfortunate 
proximity  to  his  mistress,  with  his  usual  burden  on 
his  hip,  she  gave  him  a  kick  on  the  shin  that  made 
him  howl,  and  in  his  haste  to  get  out  of  the  way  of  a 
second  attack,  he  stumbled  over  the  work-basket  and 
fell,  the  baby's  nose  coming  in  contact  with  the  deck. 
Oh  dear,  the  hubbub !  Baby  screaming — more  kicks 
on  poor  Jake — the  lady  scolding — first  at  the  boy  for 
throwing  the  child  down,  then  at  her  husband  for  not 
picking  it  up.  How  it  ended  I  did  not  wait  to  see. 


20  THE  ROMANCE  OP  THE  OCEAN. 

clapping  my  hands  to  my  ears,  I  flew  to  my  cabin,  to 
take  a  hearty  laugh. 

I  fear  Mrs.  Parker  will  never  forgive  me  for  caus 
ing  her  to  expose  herself  thus  before  Colonel  Howard. 
She  is  always  as  mild  and  sweet  as  cocoa-nut  milk  in 
his  presence.  Military  rank,  I  verily  believe,  is  the 
only  thing  for  which  she  has  any  reverence.  Colonel 
Howard  is  a  dear  old  soul :  though  I  must  take  care 
how  I  call  him  old ;  being  a  single  man,  he  is  tender 
on  that  point.  He  has  a  noble  figure,  handsome  face, 
and  most  attractive  manners,  making  himself  pecu 
liarly  agreeable  to  young  ladies,  as  Lucy  and  I  can 
testify.  He  is  devoted  to  his  mother ;  another  rea 
son  for  my  liking  him.  He  is  not  so  very  old  after 
all, — only  about  thirty-eight,  I  believe ;  but  I  always 
pretend  to  look  upon  him  as  quite  a  patriarch,  just  to 
tease  him ;  my  old  failing,  you  know. 

He  and  Mr.  Selden  often  play  chess  in  the  morn 
ing,  Lucy  and  I  sitting  by,  sometimes  overlooking 
the  game,  sometimes  engaged  in  mutual  confidences- 
In  return  for  Lucy's  openness  to  me,  I  have  given 
her  the  natural  history  of  Dr.  Foley's  family,  with 
the  various  personages  in  any  way  connected  with  it. 
This  brings  you  in, — so  that  Lucy  is  fully  acquainted 
with  the  rise  and  progress  of  our  ardent  and  enduring 
friendship. 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  21 

I  am  going  to  court  Lucy  for  my  brother  William 
if  I  can.  She  will  make  a  pattern  minister's  wife. 
She  is  so  conscientious  and  unselfish,  and  ready  to 
do  everything  for  everybody.  With  all  this  faultless- 
ness  of  character  too,  she  has  so  little  self-esteem, 
that  I  don't  believe  she  thinks  herself  any  better  than 
I  am,  though,  alas,  I  can  see  how  sadly  deficient  I 
am  in  all  those  lovely  traits  I  so  much  admire  in  her. 
You  know,  Ellen,  you  are  to  have  Ned  if  he  turns  out 
to  be  worth  anything ;  then  won't  I  have  two  sweet 
sisters  ?  When  I  told  Lucy  my  plan,  for  I  cannot 
keep  anything  to  myself,  she  smiled  and  said,  "  You 
are  truly  generous,  Fanny,  to  give  me  what  you  so 
highly  prize ;  I  wish  I  could  reciprocate,  but  I  have 
no  brother,  not  even  a  cousin,  to  my  knowledge,  to 
ofier  you."  I  thanked  her,  but  said  I  would  not  need 
her  aid  in  that  particular ;  that  I  thought  it  likely, 
before  our  voyage  was  ended,  I  should  secure  one  of 
our  fellow-travellers  as  a  companion  on  the  voyage  of 
life ;  that  I  had  not  decided  whether  it  should  be  the 
Colonel,  or  Chaplain,  or  Mr.  Mate,  as  I  call  him. 

6th.  I  had  a  cruel  disappointment  to-day.  When 
our  baggage  was  brought  on  board,  I  saw  a  large 
pine  box,  which  I  had  not  noticed  before,  marked 
with  father's  name.  I  asked  him  what  it  contained ; 
He  said,  "Provision  for  the  voyage." 


22  THE  KOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"Why  I  thought  everything  was  furnished  by  the 
Captain  ?" 

"  Oh  yes,  these  are  extras."  • 

I  was  delighted — thinks  I,  this  is  dear  mother's 
thoughtfulness.  I  know  exactly  what  the  box  con 
tains, — preserves  and  pickles,  smoked  tongues,  and 
spiced  gingerbread.  This  morning,  as  I  was  passing 
father's  state-room,  he  called  to  me,  "  Fanny  dear, 
run  get  me  a  chisel,  and  I  will  give  you  a  pleasant 
surprise." 

"Yes,  father,"  said  I,  running  hastily  to  the  deck. 
Seeing  Mr.  Spencer,  "Please,  Mr.  Mate,"  said  I, 
"  lend  me  a  chisel,  and  let  my  sailor-boy  come  down 
and  open  a  box  for  father." 

"  Your  sailor-boy,  Miss  Fanny  !  and  who  may  he 
be?" 

"Why  that  handsome  Harry,  to  be  sure ;  I  do  like 
handsome  men." 

"Thank  you,  Miss  Fanny,"  said  he  with  a  low 
bow;  "I  take  that  as  a  personal  compliment." 

"  Oh,  you  vain  fellow ;  you  are  not  to  be  compared 
to  Harry." 

"  No,  certainly  not ;  an  officer  should  never  be  com 
pared  to  a  common  sailor." 

"  Well,  are  you  going  to  get  me  a  chisel  or  not,  or 
shall  I  try  the  Captain  ?" 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  23 

"  Yes,  indeed,  and  you  shall  have  your  sailor-boy 
too;  so  don't  look  so  cross." 

Down  came  Harry  with  the  chisel,  and  the  top  of 
the  box  was  soon  removed;  the  whole  surface  was 
covered  with  heavy  books. 

"  Oh,  father,  these  books  have  been  on  the  top ;  I 
fear  the  jars  have  been  crushed." 

"Jars,"  said  he,  putting  on  his  spectacles  and 
looking  carefully  into  the  box ;  "  why,  child,  there  is 
nothing  in  it  except  books." 

"Books!"  I  repeated  in  a  tone  of  dismay,  "no 
thing  but  books  !  Why,  father,  you  said  it  contained 
provision  for  the  voyage." 

"Food  for  the  mind,  child,  I  spoke  figuratively. 
It  is  the  British  Encyclopaedia,  a  most  valuable 
work.  I  intend  to  commence  it,  and  read  it  regularly 
through.  I  advise  you  to  take  a  volume  and  read  a 
portion  of  it  every  day." 

"  I,  father ;  I  shall  hate  the  very  sight  of  them ; 
they'll  remind  me  so  painfully  of  pickles,  preserves, 
smoked  tongue,  and  spiced  gingerbread."  I  went  off 
singing,  "  'Tis  ever  thus  from  childhood's  hour,"  &c. 
Harry  laughed  at  me,  the  rogue  ;  I  would  have  boxed 
his  ears  if  father  had  not  been  present.  I  must  make 
you  acquainted  with  my  protdge*.  He  is  about  my 
own  age,  and  certainly  the  handsomest  man  I  ever 


24  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

saw.  His  hair,  long  and  dark,  hangs  in  loose  curls. 
His  eyes  are  a  dark  hazel,  his  complexion  rather 
brown,  but  clear,  with  a  brilliant  colour  always  on 
his  cheek.  Then  he  has  fine  teeth  and  a  most  en 
gaging  smile.  A  few  days  ago,  I  was  leaning  over 
the  railing,  when  I  observed  a  large  fish  swimming 
near  the  ship.  I  took  it  for  a  shark,  and  turning 
round,  to  make  the  inquiry  of  any  one  who  should  be 
near,  I  saw  Harry  standing  at  a  little  distance.  I 
called  to  him  to  look  at  the  fish  and  tell  me  what  it 
was.  He  came  forward  and  did  as  I  requested,  but 
said  he  could  not  inform  me ;  that  he  had  little  sea- 
knowledge,  this  being  his  first  voyage. 

His  voice  was  so  soft,  and  his  manner  so  respectful, 
that  I  felt  inclined  to  continue  the  conversation. 

True  to  my  assumed  Yankee  character,  I  soon 
learned  his  history,  though  I  sometimes  doubted  if 
he  were  telling  the  exact  truth.  Some  of  my  ques 
tions  embarrassed  him,  and  he  would  either  hesitate, 
or  ask  me  to  excuse  his  answering.  He  says  his 
name  is  Henry  Morton,  that  he  is  an  orphan,  and 
has  been  living  in  New  York  with  his  grandparents. 
He  confesses  that  he  came  to  sea  against  their  will, 
but  would  not  tell  me  why.  Never  mind,  I'll  get  it 
from  him  yet. 

I  often  exchange  words  with  him,  as  I  wander 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  25 

about  the  deck,  looking  into  all  the  queer  places,  and 
asking  questions  of  the  sailors.  He  invariably  greets 
me  with  a  smile,  and  seems  gratified  by  my  notice  of 
him. 

One  day,  Mr.  Spencer  overtook  me  in  my  tour  of 
observation,  and  offered  to  assist  in  my  investiga 
tions. 

"  No,  thank  you,"  said  I ;  "  you'll  only  be  in  my 
way ;  it  is  a  great  deal  funnier  to  go  about  as  I 
please,  without  some  one  at  my  elbow  to  say  you 
musn't  open  that,  and  you  can't  go  in  there.  Just 
now  I  quizzed  the  old  sailor  at  the  wheel  there,  till 
he  could  not  for  his  life  make  out  whether  I  was 
really  as  simple  as  I  seemed,  or  only  making  fun  of 
him." 

"  Do  tell  me,  Miss  Fanny,  how  you  managed  it  ?" 

"  Well,  I  went  up  to  him  and  said,  '  My  friend,  is 
your  name  Jack  Tar  ?'  '  No,  miss  ;  Jacob  Black,  at 
your  service.'  *  Well,  now,  that's  odd,  I  thought 
all  sailors  were  called  Jack  Tar ;  I  am  sure  they  are 
always  named  so  in  the  newspapers.'  He  half 
laughed,  but  did  not  reply.  'I  have  often  heard,' 
said  I,  '  of  the  long  yarns  that  sailors  spin.  I  havn't 
seen  any  such  work  yet  on  board  this  ship.  I  sup 
pose  those  ropes  that  are  attached  to  the  masts  are 
what  you  call  yarns  ?'  '  Yes,  ma'am,  just  so.'  '  They 


26  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

are  very  thick  indeed ;  I  do  not  know  how  you  can 
spin  such  enormous  things.  Is  it  done  on  this  wheel 
that  you  are  turning?'  'Yes,  ma'am;  but  it  isn't 
fixed  right  for  spinning  now.'  '  Oh,  well,  I'll  get 
Mr.  Spencer  to  come  and  have  it  fixed,  for  I  do 
want  to  see  how  you  can  spin  such  long  yarns.'  So, 
Mr.  Mate,  off  I  came  to  find  you,  leaving  Jacob 
Black  pondering  on  the  matter  with  a  sorely  troubled 
aspect." 

"  You  are  the  oddest  girl,  Miss  Fanny ;  how  can 
you  think  of  such  queer  fancies  ?" 

"  Thank  you  for  the  compliment,  if  it  is  intended 
as  such ;  and  now,  that's  a  good  creature,  just  take 
yourself  off,  for  I  want  to  go  down  to  the  lower 
regions  to  see  my  other  favourite,  that  shiny  black 
cook.  He  gave  me  a  pressing  invitation  this  morn 
ing.  Said  he,  '  Missus,  you  never  been  see  a  kitch- 
ing  yet ;  you  must  come  see  where  Nero  lib.  Nice 
warm  place,  plenty  good  ting  dere.  Nero  berry 
proud  see  funny  lady.'  Who  could  resist  such  an 
appeal  ?" 

"  Indeed,  Miss  Foley,"  said  Mr.  Spencer,  "  you 
must  not  think  of  such  a  thing.  In  the  first  place, 
you'll  certainly  break  your  neck  getting  down,  and 
then  the  sight  of  the  operations  there  may  injure 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  27 

your  appetite,  if  you're  at  all  delicate.  I  beg  you 
won't  try  it." 

"Indeed  I  will,"  said  I,  "  so  you  need  not  waste 
your  eloquence  on  me.  If  I  break  my  neck,  as  you 
say  I  will,  I  shall  at  any  rate  be  spared  the  last  evil 
consequence  you  predict." 

Just  then  Mr.  Selden  joined  us,  and  I  was  obliged 
to  relinquish  my  purpose  for  the  time. 

7th.  This  morning,  when  Lucy  and  I  went  up  to 
the  deck,  there  was  no  one  under  the  awning  but  Mrs. 
Parker  and  the  children.  Lucy  sat  down  and  com 
menced  reading  one  of  father's  volumes,  which  lay 
on  the  table.  Looking  about  for  something  more 
congenial  to  my  taste,  I  snatched  the  baby  from 
Jake's  arms,  and  tried  to  amuse  it  by  playing  paddy- 
cake  on  its  little  hands,  but  it  screeched  and  kicked 
till  I  was  glad  to  give  it  up. 

"Mrs.  Parker,"  said  I,  willing  to  conciliate  her  if 
possible  (for  since  that  eventful  morning  she  has 
never  spoken  to  me),  "  do  please  give  me  a  stocking 
to  darn  ;  I  can  run  heels  beautifully — just  try  me." 

"No,  Miss  Foley"  (drawing  herself  up  with  great 
dignity),  "I  don't  darn  for  the  company." 

I  moved  off,  singing  "Begone,  dull  care,  you  and 
I  can  never  agree."  Little  George  Parker  was  sit 
ting  on  the  floor,  playing  fox-and-geese  on  his  slate. 


28  THE  EOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

I  invited  him  to  come  and  let  me  help  him.  He  did 
so  very  willingly,  though  if  he  had  caught  his  mo 
ther's  eye  he  would  have  seen  there  "  If  you  do,  I'll 
pay  you  for  it." 

I  taught  him  tit-tat-toe,  and  several  other  of  my 
old  school-games.  We  became  quite  good  friends, 
and  I  really  found  him  an  amusing  companion.  He 
could  tell  me  a  great  deal  about  garrison  life  that 
was  interesting  to  me.  Having  never  been  at  a 
military  post  since  I  was  sent  to  boarding-school, 
eight  years  ago,  I  shall  feel  like  an  entire  stranger 
there. 

"Miss  Meecham,"  said  Mrs.  Parker,  "I  under 
stand  from  Mr.  Parker  that  your  salary  commences 
with  our  departure  from  New  York." 

Lucy,  taken  by  surprise,  coloured  deeply,  but 
answered  calmly,  "Such  was  the  Captain's  offer, 
madam." 

"  I  dare  say ;  it's  just  like  him.  I  was  a  fool  to — 
Well,  then,  I  should  think,  Miss  Meecham,  your 
duties  should  commence  at  the  same  time.  Four 
months  lost  out  of  a  year,  and  a  quarter's  salary 
and  passage  to  pay  beside,  is  no  trifle,  I  can  tell 
you,  out  of  a  lieutenant's  pay ;  for  Mr.  Parker  is 
only  a  brevet  captain." 

"I  am  perfectly  willing,  Mrs.  Parker,"  replied 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  29 

Lucy  earnestly,  "  to  do  anything  you  wish.  Indeed, 
I  would  have  proposed  it,  had  I  supposed  the  in 
struction  of  the  children  could  be  carried  on  to  any 
advantage  while  at  sea.  I  mentioned  it  to  Captain 
Parker,  but  he  discouraged  the  idea." 

"  Let  me  tell  you,  Miss  Meecham,  it  is  to  me  you 
are  to  apply,  when  my  children  are  concerned.  Mr. 
Parker  knows  little  and  cares  less  about  my  domestic 
arrangements.  He  manages  his  company,  and  I  my 
household.  I  don't  see  what  should  prevent  the 
children  from  studying.  Sarah  can  learn  her  his 
tory,  and  some  other  things,  and  the  boys  can  read 
and  spell." 

"  Do  you  not  fear  that  confinement  in  the  cabin 
may  be  injurious?" 

"  I  don't  intend  confining  them  to  the  cabin ;  they 
can  study  here ; — who's  to  hinder  them,  I  wonder  ? 
My  children  have  as  good  a  right  to  a  seat  on  deck 
as  any  of  the  passengers.  They  don't  go  for  no 
thing — even  the  little  nigger's  charged  for." 

Poor  Lucy ! — she  evidently  shrank  from  such  a 
public  exhibition,  but  she  only  said,  "I  fear  the 
bustle  on  deck  might  distract  their  attention." 

"  Distract  their  attention,  indeed !"  said  Mrs. 
Parker.  "  I  should  like  to  see  my  children's  atten 
tion  distracted  by  anything  under  the  sun,  when  I 

3* 


30  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

set  them  at  a  task.  No,  Miss  Meecham ;  if  you  have 
not  sufficient  dignity  of  character  to  enforce  obedi 
ence  from  your  pupils,  I  shall  be  present  to  aid  you." 

A  pleasant  prospect,  truly !  I  tried  to  catch 
Lucy's  eye,  that  I  might  have  the  satisfaction  of 
making  a  face  at  Mrs.  Parker ;  but  she  kept  her  face 
turned  away  from  me,  and  her  eyes  were  looking  out 
upon  the  ocean. 

"I  am  ready,  Mrs.  Parker,  to  commence  "when 
you  wish  it,"  said  Lucy,  after  waiting  to  see  if  any 
more  pearls  would  drqp  from  the  lady's  mouth. 

"To-morrow,  then,  from  nine  to  eleven,  if  you 
can  spare  me  so  much  time  from  more  agreeable 
occupations." 

Lucy  looked  hurt,  but  did  not  reply. 

Seeing  a  group  of  sailors  near  the  mainmast,  and 
Mr.  Spencer  talking  earnestly,  I  went  up  to  him  to 
ask  what  the  matter  was.  He  pointed  to  the  deck, 
and  there  lay  poor  Harry,  dead  to  all  appearance. 
I  screamed,  and  was  running  away,  when  the  mate 
caught  my  arm,  and  said,  laughing,  "He's  only 
fainted ;  it  will  be  over  soon.  I  ordered  him  aloft, 
but  he  had  taken  only  three  steps  up  the  shrouds 
when  he  lost  his  hold,  and  would  have  broken  his 
worthless  head  on  the  deck,  if  the  men  had  not 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  31 

caught  him.  Your  precious  favourite  is  a  complete 
coward." 

"  I  am  sure  you  are  unjust,  Mr.  Spencer,"  said  I ; 
"wait  till  you  hear  what  he  has  to  say." 

He  began  to  revive.  I  leaned  over  him,  and  said, 
" Harry,  do  you  feel  better  now?" 

"Oh,"  said  he,  with  his  pleasant  smile,  "that's 
Miss  Fanny's  kind  voice.  Yes,  miss,  I  am  well,  I 
think." 

He  raised  himself  to  his  feet,  then  putting  his 
hand  to  his  head,  staggered  to  the  side  of  the  ship, 
where  he  steadied  himself  by  a  rope. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  Mr.  Spencer,"  said  he,  "for 
giving  so  much  trouble.  My  head  has  been  weak 
since  my  childhood ;  I  never  could  look  down  from  a 
height  without  giddiness.  I  would  have  told  you  so, 
but  I  feared  you  would  consider  it  cowardice  if  I  did 
not  make  the  attempt." 

"  What  possessed  you,  then,  to  offer  yourself  as  a 
sailor?"  said  Mr.  Spencer,  sternly.  "A  weak  head 
has  no  business  on  board  ship  ;  it  generally  sails  in 
company  with  a  faint  heart." 

"Necessity  compelled  me,  sir,  to  embark  for  Cali 
fornia.  I  had  no  funds.  I  offered  to  do  duty  as  a 
sailor  on  the  voyage  out,  and  Captain  Black  was 
kind  enough  to  accept  my  services.  Employ  me  in 


32  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

any  other  duty,  sir,  however  difficult,  you'll  never 
find  me  shrink  from  it." 

"Please  forgive  him,  Mr.  Spencer,"  said  I,  "and 
speak  kindly  to  him,  poor  fellow — do,  for  my  sake." 

"  Well,  Morton,  I  shall  not  punish  you  this  time; 
you  may  go." 

"  I  thank  you,  sir,"  said  Harry,  <"  and  many,  many 
thanks  to  you,  dear  lady,  for  your  kindness  to  a 
stranger." 

The  tears  were  in  his  beautiful  eyes  as  he  spoke, 
and,  as  he  turned  away,  by  a  sudden  impulse  he 
caught  my  hand  and  kissed  it,  then  hastily  disap 
peared  down  the  gangway. 

"What  impertinence!"  said  Mr.  Spencer;  "I 
wish  I  had  had  the  fellow  flogged." 

"Oh  don't  talk  so,"  said  I;  "he  doesn't  know 
any  better,  he  is  so  young." 

"Well,  Miss  Foley,"  said  he  crossly,  for  he  was 
in  a  monstrous  ugly  humour,  "  young  as  he  is,  and 
handsome  as  you  say  he  is,  if  I  catch  him  tripping 
again,  he  shall  have  his  dues  like  any  other  sailor. 
A  pretty  thing,  indeed,  for  justice  to  be  stopped  by 
soft  words  and  a  pretty  face." 

I  seized  his  two  hands  and  dragged  him  round, 
singing — 

"  Oh  !  cruel  was  the  vessel,  as  tore  my  love  away, 
And  cruel  was  the  wild  wind  as  took  him  out  to  sea;" 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  33 

then  suddenly  throwing  him  off,  I  ran  down  to  my 
state-room. 

8th.  Our  first  Sunday  at  sea.  I  have  looked 
forward  to  it  with  apprehension,  as  likely  to  be  one 
of  the  longest  days  in  my  experience ;  but  in  reality 
it  has  been  a  most  delightful  one.  It  is  splendid 
weather.  Although  now  in  the  torrid  zone,  the  sun 
is  only  hot  enough  to  make  the  shade  of  the  awn 
ing  agreeable.  The  sky  is  cloudless,  and  a  gentle 
breeze  keeps  the  sails  well  filled,  and  sends  us 
steadily  on  our  course. 

When  we  were  all  collected  on  deck  this  morning, 
Mrs.  Howard  proposed  singing.  We  spent  an  hour 
thus  delightfully.  Lucy  has  a  sweet  voice,  and  per 
fect  knowledge  of  music,  and  Mr.  Selden  and  Col. 
Howard  sing  quite  well.  Every  one  joined  except 
Mrs.  Parker,  and  she  sat  there  with  her  hands  in  her 
lap,  looking  as  if  her  heart  was  with  her  work-basket, 
which  she  had  left  below.  Her  thimble  though  was 
on  her  finger  :  I  have  no  doubt  she  sleeps  in  it. 

At  eleven  o'clock,  Mr.  Selden  preached  on  deck, 
by  invitation  of  Captain  Black.  Every  soul  on 
board  was  present ;  the  sailors  looking  so  clean  and 
fresh  in  their  Sunday  suits.  We  had  an  interesting 
sermon.  I  missed  the  text  somehow,  but  I  know  it 
was  something  about  going  to  the  sea  in  ships.  We 


04  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

had  fine  singing  too,  most  of  the  men  joining  with 
their  rich  deep  voices.  When  service  was  over,  and 
the  men  were  moving  away,  I  wanted  just  to  speak 
a  kind  word  to  Harry,  for  he  sat  apart  and  looked 
sad  and  lonely.  I  had  taken  a  step  forward  for  the 
purpose,  when  Mr.  Spencer,  guessing  my  intention, 
touched  my  arm,  saying  in  a  low  voice,  "Don't,  Miss 
Fanny — not  now.  Captain  Black  would  be  highly 
displeased  at  such  familiar  notice  of  a  sailor.  I 
would  advise  you  not  to  draw  his  attention  to  your 
favourite.  If  he  had  been  present  when  that  scene 
occurred  the  other  day,  Morton  would  never  have 
got  off  with  a  whole  skin." 

"Why,"  said  I,  "  the  wretch  must  have  a  heart 
as  dark  as  his  name." 

"  No,  you  judge  hastily  ;  he  is  not  a  bad-hearted 
man :  on  the  contrary,  I  have  often  known  him  do 
many  generous  and  kind  acts ;  but  he  has  been  at 
sea  the  best  part  of  his  life ;  and  here  we  learn  to 
look  upon  cowardice  and  shrinking  from  duty  as  un 
pardonable  sins.  Captain  Black  is  an  unhappy  man, 
too,  which  makes  him  more  stern  and  unyielding 
than  he  would  otherwise  be.  I  suspect  that  he  has 
had  heavy  domestic  troubles,  but  I  have  never  heard 
him  allude  to  them.  I  know  he  has  a  fine  wife.  I 
wish  she  would  accompany  him  on  his  voyages.  For 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  35 

my  part,  I  think  every  ship  ought  to  have  some 
females  on  board ;  it  would  contribute  more  than  any 
thing  else  toward  humanizing  and  gentlemanizing 
both  officers  and  crew.  Somehow  it  is  not  easy  for 
us  to  play  the  tyrant,  or  swear,  or  get  into  a  passion, 
in  the  presence  of  a  female.  I  sailed  my  last  voyage 
with  a  captain  who  had  his  wife  and  two  young  children 
on  board.  I  never  had  so  pleasant  a  trip.  The  lady 
was  a  great  deal  on  deck,  and  took  an  interest  in 
everything ;  and  in  bad  weather,  when  all  are  usually 
in  an  irritable  humour,  she  had  endless  expedients  for 
making  the  time  pass  pleasantly  below.  She  got  the 
men  when  off  duty  to  read  together,  furnishing  them 
with  entertaining  books,  and  conversing  with  them 
frequently  on  what  they  had  been  reading.  Every 
man  on  board  loved  her  like  a  sister.  The  children, 
well-behaved,  fearless  little  fellows,  were  the  play 
things  of  the  whole  crew.  Often  have  I  seen  them 
seated  on  an  old  salt's  knees,  listening  to  his  won 
derful  stories,  or  playing  hide  and  seek  with  the 
younger  sailors.  There  was  scarcely  an  oath  heard 
during  the  voyage,  though  we  had  some  right  ugly 
weather,  and  there  was  not  an  instance  of  disobe 
dience  or  punishment.  An  officer  of  the  ship,  who 
had  sailed  with  this  captain  on  a  previous  trip,  with 
the  same  crew,  but  without  his  wife,  told  me  that 


36  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

then  the  captain  and  crew  were  continually  at 
variance ;  that  he  could  not  issue  an  order  without 
an  oath,  and  that  he  would  almost  flog  a  sailor  for 
looking  at  him.  So  you  see,  Miss  Fanny,  the  in 
fluence  a  good  woman  can  exert.  I  am  determined 
when  I  marry  to  make  the  agreement  that  my  wife 
shall  always  accompany  me  on  my  voyages,  when 
ever  I  have  a  ship  of  my  own,  or  am  in  command  of 
one.  Why  should  not  a  sailor's  wife  follow  her  hus 
band  as  faithfully  as  the  soldier's  wife  does  ?" 

"  Oh  !  well,  Mr.  Mate, '  forewarned — forearmed.'  I 
am  very  glad  you  told  me  this ;  for,  as  you  will  proba 
bly  propose  to  me  before  the  end  of  our  voyage,  I  shall 
know  what  to  answer.  I  have  no  notion  of  being 
confined  on  shipboard  like  a  tame  monkey,  or  an 
African  parrot,  just  to  keep  the  officers  and  men  in 
a  good-humour.  A  sorry  compliment  you  pay  your 
sex  truly :  it  seems  you  have  no  principles  of  right 
or  wrong  to  guide  your  actions ;  they  depend  entirely 
on  your  state  of  mind  at  the  time.  If  pleased  and 
happy,  you  are  just  and  kind ;  if  otherwise,  alas  for 
the  poor  soul  that  crosses  your  path  !  I  hope  you 
only  claim  this  character  for  that  amphibious  class 
of  bipeds  to  which  you  belong." 

The  summons  to  dinner  put  an  end  to  our  conver 
sation.  Captain  Black  sits  at  the  head  of  the  table 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  37 

with  Mrs.  Howard  on  one  side,  and  Mrs.  Parker  on 
the  other.  Mr.  Spencer  sits  at  the  foot,  with  Lucy 
on  his  right  hand,  and  myself  on  his  left ;  Lucy's 
next  neighbour  being  Colonel  Howard,  and  mine 
Mr.  Selden.  Captain  Black  is  perfectly  polite  and 
attentive  to  the  duties  of  the  table,  but  seldom  joins 
in  the  conversation,  though  Mrs.  Howard  frequently 
attempts  to  draw  him  out.  However  merry  we  may 
be,  I  never  saw  him  coaxed  into  a  smile  ;  indeed  I 
always  think  he  looks  more  sad  at  such  times.  As 
we  were  about  to  seat  ourselves  at  table  to-day,  I 
said  to  Mr.  Selden,  "  Please  exchange  seats  with 
me ;  I  do  not  want  to  sit  next  to  Mr.  Spencer  again." 

"Why,"  said  he,  as  he  acceded  to  my  request; 
"  have  you  fallen  out  with  Mr.  Mate  ?  What  was  it 
about?" 

"  Oh  !  he  has  been  giving  me  such  a  dreadful  cha 
racter  of  sailors,  that  I  am  really  afraid  to  be  near 
one.  Why  if  I  should  vex  him,  he  would  just  as  soon 
stick  that  carver  into  me  as  not.  Witness,  all  here 
present,  I'll  never  marry  a  sailor." 

"Miss  Foley,"  said  Captain  Black  solemnly,  "ad 
here  to  that  resolution,  though  spoken  in  jest.  A 
sailor's  wife  occupies  no  enviable  berth.  While  her 
husband  is  at  sea,  she  is  ever  anxious  and  expecting 
evil  tidings ;  and  when  he  is  at  home  she  is  little  bet- 

4 


38  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

ter  off,  so  restless  and  discontented  are  we  when  on 
shore." 

"You  have  a  wife,  Captain  ?"  said  Mrs.  Howard. 

"  Yes,  madam,  one  of  the  best  of  women.  For 
fifteen  years  I  have  promised  her  that  every  voyage 
should  be  the  last ;  but  when  I  get  home,  and  have 
seen  my  good  wife  and  my  old  mother  made  happy 
by  my  company,  I  forget  the  weary  days  I  have 
caused  them  to  pass,  and  beg  them  to  consent  to  just 
one  trip  more.  My  poor,  patient  Mary,"  said  he 
after  a  pause,  as  if  speaking  to  himself,  "  if  Heaven 
restore  me  to  her  once  more,  I  will  never,  never,  make 
her  heart  ache  again." 

With  the  kind  intention  of  drawing  his  mind  from 
such  sad  thoughts,  Mrs.  Howard  asked,  "  Have  you 
children,  Captain?" 

Turning  suddenly  toward  her,  he  answered  almost 
sharply,  "  Madam,  I  was  once  a  proud  and  happy 
father.  Oh  !  why  did  not  Heaven  take  this  worth 
less  life  before  I  was  permitted  to  take  my  boy  from 
his  mother's  arms — to  take  him  out  to  sea  ?  Selfish 
wretch  that  I  was — we  are  now  childless — yet  my 
Mary  never  reproved  me — never  called  me  my  son's 
murderer !" 

He  spoke  in  a  loud,  shrill  voice,  and  his  eyes 
gleamed  like  a  maniac's.  No  one  spoke :  all  were  too 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  39 

much  shocked  and  alarmed.  The  steward,  standing 
behind  the  Captain's  chair,  pushed  a  bottle  of  brandy 
towards  him;  he  seized  it  nervously,  filled  a  tumbler 
and  drank  it  off.  The  steward  contrived  to  make  a 
considerable  noise  and  bustle  in  removing  the  dishes 
for  the  dessert,  and  conversation  was  recommenced, 
thus  allowing  the  Captain  an  opportunity  of  recover 
ing  himself.  This  scene  startled  us  all  greatly :  we 
had  no  idea  of  the  depth  of  feeling  concealed  under 
so  calm  an  exterior.  How  I  want  to  hear  the  whole 
of  the  melancholy  story;  but  no  one  could  dare  to 
ask  him.  Mr.  Spencer  never  knew  before  that  he 
had  had  a  child. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Lucy  begins  her  School — Amusing  Conversation — "Water-spouts 
—Fanny  thinks  them  of  no  Use — Flare-up  with  Mrs.  Parker — 
Henpecking  to  some  Tune  —  Another  Sabbath  delightfully 
spent — Mrs.  Howard  a  great  Favourite — Harry  Morton  again 
— Interesting  Development — Harriet  O'Connor — Her  Mother's 
hapless  Fate. 

JUNE  9th.  Lucy's  school  commenced  this  morn 
ing.  She  went  to  work  as  methodically  as  if  she 
were  not  a  novice  in  the  business  of  teaching.  Her 
manners  are  so  placid  and  lady-like,  that  she  seems 
to  do  everything  just  right.  (I  wish  you  could  take 
some  lessons  from  her,  Miss  Fanny  Foley ;  it  would 
be  to  your  advantage  even  in  my  estimation,  who 
have  a  better  opinion  of  you  than  other  folks  have.) 
True  to  her  promise,  Mrs.  Parker  sat  by,  while  the 
children  were  learning  and  reciting  their  lessons.  If 
she  sought  occasion  for  fault-finding,  she  was  disap 
pointed.  After  learning  from  the  mother  what  studies 

• 

she  wished  the  children  to  take  up,  Lucy  gave  them 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  41 

their  lessons  and  heard  their  recitations  without  re 
ference  to,  or  interference  from,  Mrs.  Parker.  The 
gentlemen  left  the  sitting-room  as  we  call  it,  when 
the  children  and  books  made  their  entree,  hut  Mrs. 
Howard  and  I  kept  our  seats.  She  was  engaged  in 
writing,  but  I  did  not  pretend  to  do  anything  but 
watch  Lucy  and  Mrs.  Parker. 

I  told  Lucy  that  I  felt  myself  very  deficient  in  the 
branch  of  orthography,  and  begged  to  be  taken  as  a 
scholar,  to  commence  with  little  George  Parker  at 
b-a-ba-k-e-r-ker,  baker.  Lucy  shook  her  pencil  at 
me,  and  said  she  did  not  wish  an  addition  to  her 
school,  and  that  if  I  made  any  disturbance  she  would 
appeal  to  Captain  Black,  and  have  me  confined  be 
low.  "  Very  well,"  said  I,  "if  you  do,  I'll  go  down 
to  the  kitchen  to  my  friend  Nero,  and  I'll  bribe  him 
to  put  rats  into  the  soup,  and  roaches  into  the  plum- 
tarts.  I'll  go  and  tell  the  Colonel,  so  I  will,  how 
cross  you  are."  Off  I  went  to  where  the  Colonel 
and  Mr.  Selden  were  deep  in  a  game  of  chess.  I  do 
love  to  break  in  on  such  a  party,  it  is  so  amusing  to 
see  the  struggle  between  politeness  and  vexation.  I 
took  a  seat  by  the  board  saying,  fretfully,  "I've 
come  here  to  plague  you,  because  I  can  find  nothing 
else  to  do.  Lucy's  so  cross  and  Mrs.  Parker  is  SQ 
amiable,  I  have  no  fun  over  there  at  all." 

4* 


42  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

*    $  •  . 

"Astounding  assertions,  Miss  Fanny!"  said  the 
Colonel,  laughing ;  "  both  equally  incredible.  I  did 
not  believe  even  playing  schoolmistress  would  sour 
Miss  Meecham's  temper." 

"  She  is  an  uncommonly  interesting  girl,"  said  the 
Chaplain,  "  and  must  have  moved  in  the  highest  circle 
of  society.  I  wonder  if  she  is  a  connexion  of  the 
former  Governor  of  that  name,  who  died  abroad 
some  years  since?  It  is  not  a  common  one." 

"He  was  her  father,"  said  I;  "and  it  is  only  since 
his  death  that  the  family  have  been  in  straitened 
circumstances." 

"  Governor  Meecham  her  father !"  said  Colonel 
Howard; — "is  it  possible?  I  knew  him  well;  he 
was  an  old  friend  and  classmate  of — of — my  father's." 

"  Oh,  Colonel,"  said  I,  "Lucy's  father  an  old  friend 
of  your  father  !  Dear  me  ! — why,  let  me  see.  Mr. 
Meecham,  according  to  Lucy's  statement,  was  only 
forty  when  he  died,  about  three  years  ago;  and  your 
father,  were  he  living  at  that  time,  would  have  been 
nearly  seventy,  as  you  told  me  yourself.  I  guess 
you  meant  to  say  your  father's  son." 

"Well,  really  now,"  replied  the  Colonel  earnestly, 
"Mr.  Meecham  was  much  older  than  I.  I  was  quite 
a  boy  when  I  met  him  at  college,  and  he  was  over 
eighteen." 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  48 

Mr.  Selden  could  not  help  laughing,  as  I  did,  at 
this  unintentional  admission.  The  Colonel  reddened 
a  little,  but  then  laughing  himself,  he  said  good- 
humouredly,  "  Well,  I'll  be  a  married  man  some  day 
soon,  I  hope,  and  then  I'll  defy  you  to  tease  me 
about  my  age." 

"Oh !  dear  Colonel,  I'm  delighted  to  hear  it.  I  do 
hate  old  bachelor  commandants, — they  are  so  stingy 
and  unsociable,  and  never  give  dinner-parties  or 
balls.  Do  tell  me  all  about  it.  Have  you  fixed  on  the 
lady  ? — and  when  is  it  to  be  ?  A  military  wedding 
is  a  thing  I  most  desire  to  see." 

"  Softly,  Miss  Fanny ;  you  travel  so  fast,  it  puts 
me  out  of  breath  to  keep  up  with  you.  The  time 
is  not  decided,  neither  have  I  asked  the  lady ;  but 
I  have  her  in  my  eye." 

I  really  believe  he  was  looking  over  at  Lucy  as  he 
spoke  ; — wouldn't  it  be  funny  ?  However,  I  pre 
tended  to  take  it  to  myself;  so  hanging  my  head 
bashfully,  and  looking  down,  as  if  to  conceal  my 
blushes,  I  said,  "  My  dear  sir — it's  so  sudden — so 
unexpected — made  so  publicly — I  am  overwhelmed — 
I  really  know  not  how  to  answer  you ;  please  allow 
me  time  for  consideration.  Mr.  Selden,  your  arm ; 
I  must  retire  to  my  state-room." 

When  we  reached  the  gangway,  I  stole  a  glance 


44  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

at  the  Colonel.  There  he  stood,  just  as  I  had  left 
him,  looking,  as  Major  Downing  would  say,  "kind  o' 
streaked." 

"  Oh !  Mr.  Selden,  do  hurry  back  and  assure  him  I 
was  only  acting.  The  poor  man  looks  as  though  he 
was  in  the  'Slough  of  Despond,'  and  saw  no  way  of. 
getting  out.  It's  not  very  flattering  to  me — his 
being  so  scared.  I  don't  think  it  would  have  been 
such  a  dreadful  thing,  if  I  had  been  in  earnest — at 
least  not  for  him  —  do  you  think  it  would,  Mr. 
Selden?" 

"No,  indeed,  Miss  Fanny.  I  only  wish  I  had 
been  in  his  place ;  you  would  have  seen  how  diffe 
rently  I  would  have  behaved." 

12th.  Near  the  West  Indies.  I  wish  we  would 
run  short  of  water,  or  spring  aleak,  or  anything  to 
make  it  necessary  to  run  down  to  Hayti.  I  want  to 
see  the  blackeys  playing  royalty — nobles  and  their 
ladies  walking  arm-in-arm,  and  making  morning 
calls.  Perhaps  his  majesty  would  invite  us  to 
dinner.  I  dare  say  he  would  put  friend  Nero  and 
little  Jake  on  his  right  and  left  hand. 

Mr.  Spencer  says  we  shall  run  into  Rio  Janeiro ; 
that  is  the  only  point  we  shall  stop  at  during  the 
voyage.  I  don't  care  to  go  there,  for  I  don't  know 
anything  about  the  place.  I  would  a  great  deal 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  45 

rather  visit  Tierra  del  Fuego,  and  see  the  funny  little 
stunted  natives  dressed  in  skins. 

I  was  just  called  up  to  see  a  water-spout,  which 
was  quite  near  the  vessel.  It  was  pronounced 
"grand,"  and  "awful,"  and  "beautiful,"  by  those 
around  me.  To  me  I  confess  it  is  one  of  the  most 
ridiculous  and  useless  things  imaginable, — it  seems 
so  absurd  for  a  dark  heavy  cloud  to  be  pouring  its 
waters,  as  this  appeared  to  do,  into  the  ocean, 
through  a  huge  funnel,  just  as  a  grocer  fills  a  molasses 
jug.  But  they  tell  me  it  draws  the  water  up. 

13th.  This  morning,  during  school-hours,  while 
everything  was  still,  Mrs.  Parker  started  suddenly 
up,  with  a  scream  that  was  heard  all  over  the  ship. 
"Jake,  you  wretch!  see  that  baby — catch  it — catch 
it — it  will  be  overboard !"  Everybody  was  on  the 
spot  in  an  instant.  Sure  enough,  the  child  had  a 
narrow  escape.  Jake  had  fast  hold,  as  he  thought, 
of  the  baby's  foot,  and  felt  that  he  could  indulge  in 
a  short  nap,  while  it  amused  itself  looking  out  of  a 
port-hole,  which  had  been  accidentally  left  open. 
The  little  thing  struggled  till  it  got  loose  from  Jake's 
grasp,  leaving  its  shoe  in  his  hand,  and  it  was  creep 
ing  through  the  port-hole  when  its  mother  happened 
to  see  its  danger.  She  picked  up  the  child  with  one 
hand,  while  with  the  other  she  cuffed  Jake's  ears, 


46  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

first  one  side,  and  then  the  other,  so  as  not  to  de 
stroy  his  equilibrium,  until  at  length  he  fell  forward 
on  the  deck ;  then  giving  him  a  few  kicks,  she  left 
him,  to  fall  upon  her  husband  with  her  tongue.  I 
think  he  would  have  preferred  Jake's  share  to  his 
own,  but  he  had  not  the  choice  of  evils. 

"A  nice  time  you  have  of  it,  Mr.  Parker — read, 
read,  and  smoke,  smoke,  from  daylight  till  dark.  I 
don't  think  it  would  hurt  you  to  look  round  at  the 
children  now  and  then ;  they  might  as  well  have  the 
man  in  the  moon  for  a  father,  for  all  the  good  they 
get  of  one.  Do  you  suppose  I  can  be  in  every  place 
at  once?  Poor  children! — it's  a  wonder  they've 
lasted  so  long,  I'm  sure.  There  was  Sam,  yester 
day,  away  up  the  ropes,  because  I  happened  to  be 
below  a  minute ;  and  here's  poor  baby  might  have 
been  food  for  sharks,  for  all  you  care,  as  long  as  you 
have  a  novel  in  your  hand  and  a  segar  in  your 
mouth.  You  couldn't  let  me  bring  a  decent  servant, 
that  would  have  taken  some  care  from  my  shoulders. 
Oh,  no !  it  would  cost  too  much ;  but  you  could  en 
gage  a  handsome  young  governess,  at  two  hundred 
dollars  a  year  and  her  passage  out." 

"  My  dear,  my  dear,"  interrupted  the  frightened 
husband,  "recollect  yourself;  it  was  your  own  pro 
posal,  it  was  really ;  as  you  ever  do,  you  were  will- 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  47 

ing  to  make  a  sacrifice  of  your  own  comfort  for 
your  children's  advantage.  Let  me  take  baby, — 
father  '11  show  it  pretties."  The  child  held  out  its 
arms,  and  Mrs.  Parker  let  it  go  without  a  word. 

She  had  cooled  a  little,  and  must  have  felt  how 
abominably  she  had  acted.  She  went  below,  and 
we  did  not  see  her  till  dinner-time. 

Poor  Lucy !  it  was  too  hard  for  her  to  bear.  She 
first  rose  as  if  intending  to  make  her  escape;  then, 
covering  her  face  with  her  hands,  sat  down  and 
burst  into  tears. 

Mrs.  Howard  put  her  arm  around  her  waist,  and 
spoke  soothingly  to  her,  while  the  Colonel  turned 
pale  with  rage  and  muttered,  "  Shameless  woman ! 
she's  a  disgrace  to  the  regiment." 

The  gentlemen  all  went  away,  and  Lucy  soon 
held  up  her  head  and  resumed  her  occupation. 

14th.  I  asked  Mr.  Spencer  to-day  how  soon  we 
would  cross  the  line. 

"  In  a  few  days,"  said  he  ;  "  why  do  you  ask  ?" 

"  Oh,  I  want  to  see  Neptune  and  his  lady ;  they 
always  pay  you  a  visit,  do  they  not  ?" 

"  I  really  am  sorry  to  disappoint  you,  but  there 
are  no  such  things  on  board  our  ship ;  indeed,  very 
few  genteel  vessels  now  continue  the  practice.  It's 
well  for  your  pet  Harry  that  it  is  so.  He's  the  only 


48  THE  KOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

raw  hand  here,  and,  I  tell  you,  Neptune's  barber 
would  have  skinned  his  smooth  cheek  for  him." 

"  Well,  I'm  so  tired  of  this  tame  life ;  your  ship 
might  have  been  better  named  the  Lamb  than  the 
Wildfire.  I  don't  believe  we  shall  have  a  storm  or 
a  shipwreck  all  the  way  out." 

"  I  trust  not,  Miss  Fanny.  I  have  never  been 
wrecked,  and  certainly  never  wish  to  be,  but  have 
seen_  quite  storms  enough  to  satisfy  me." 

I,  on  the  contrary,  have  always  thought  a  storm  at 
sea,  must  be  the  grandest  sight  in  nature.  My  first 
poetical  attempt  was  called  forth  by  reading  the  de 
scription  of  a  storm  by  Uncle  Foster,  in  one  of  his 
letters  from  Europe.  When  crossing  the  Atlantic  with 
his  family,  they  had  a  fearful  storm  one  night.  Aunt 
was  sick  in  her  berth,  but  uncle  remained  on  deck 
all  the  time  enjoying  the  scene.  He  had  a  peculiar 
taste  for  everything  horrible.  At  length,  determined 
Aunt  should  have  one  glimpse  of  a  sight  she  might 
never  see  again,  he  ran  below,  and  told  her  she  must 
go  on  deck  with  him  for  a  moment.  She  begged 
him  not  to  insist  on  it,  but  he  would  not  listen  to 
her;  so  wrapping  a  cloak  around  her,  he  carried 
her  to  the  deck.  She  opened  her  eyes  on  the  ter 
rific  scene,  gave  one  shriek,  and  fainted.  The  inci- 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  49 

dent  I  thus  versified,  and,  as  I  imagined  at  the  time, 
immortalized : 

"The  waves  were  rolling  mountain  high, 
The  lightning  flashed  across  the  sky, 
The  rumbling  thunder  loud  was  heard, 
When  Emma  on  the  deck  appeared. 

"  She  cast  around  a  fearful  look, 
Colour  her  trembling  cheek  forsook, 
And  with  a  cry  which  love  alarms, 
Sank  lifeless  in  her  husband's  arms." 

That  storm  made  me  a  poetess,  in  my  own  estima 
tion,  and  in  that  of  my  little  schoolmates.  At  that 
day,  albums  were  the  rage,  those  nuisances  of  society. 
Every  little  ten-year-old  girl  had  a  morocco-backed, 
gilt-edged  book,  containing  contributions  from  the 
pens  of  fathers  and  mothers,  kind  sisters  and  bro 
thers,  pastors  and  family  physicians,  and  a  few 
other  friends,  who  were  found  willing  to  take  a  little 
trouble,  in  order  to  confer  a  great  deal  of  pleasure. 
Every  fortunate  owner  of  an  album  in  our  little 
circle,  wanted  a  copy  of  Fanny's  "  sweet  verses." 

Our  friendship  had  not  commenced  then,  Ellen, 
or  you  would  undoubtedly  have  been  in  possession  of 
one  of  these  precious  memorials.  My  brothers 
laughed  very  much  at  my  rhymes ;  but  mother 
showed  them  to  her  visiters,  and  I  was  satisfied.  I 

5 


50  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

doubt  if  Byron  was  made  as  proud  and  happy  by 
the  panegyrics  of  the  world  as  I  was  by  the  admira 
tion  of  my  youthful  companions.  Thenceforth  not 
a  cat  or  a  dog  in  the  connexion  could  end  its  mortal 
life,  but  Fanny  must  write  its  epitaph. 

15th.  This  has  been  another  delightful  Sabbath, 
spent  pretty  much  as  the  last.  We  are  well  pleased 
with  our  Chaplain.  I  never  heard  any  preacher 
that  interested  me  as  much.  Many  a  comfortable 
nap  have  I  taken  when  our  dear  old  pastor  at  New 
York  was  in  the  pulpit ;  but  I  feel  no  inclination  to 
doze  when  Mr.  Selden  speaks.  After  dinner,  Lucy 
and  I  had  our  shaded  retreat  all  to  ourselves  for  a 
time. 

At  my  request  she  read  aloud  from  Charlotte 
Elizabeth's  beautiful  work,  "  The  Flower  Garden," 
while  I,  reclining  on  the  opposite  sofa,  watched  her 
lovely  countenance  as  she  read.  She  has  a  most 
musical  voice,  and  her  mouth  as  she  speaks  or  reads 
is  beautiful. 

In  the  course  of  an  hour,  Colonel  Howard  joined 
us,  and,  begging  Lucy  to  continue,  took  a  seat  by 
me.  She  read  on  until,  happening  to  look  up,  she 
saw  the  Colonel's  eyes  fixed  upon  her  face,  and  felt 
•  that  he  had  been  watching  her  countenance  for  some 
time.  They  were  both  slightly  confused,  but  Lucy, 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  51 

immediately  recovering  herself,  pleaded  fatigue,  and 
begged  the  Colonel  to  relieve  her.  He  took  the 
book  and  continued  reading  until  the  rest  of  our 
party  joined  us,  when  a  pleasant  conversation  en 
sued,  carried  on  chiefly  by  Mrs.  Howard  and  Mr. 
Selden. 

Mrs.  Howard  is  the  dearest  old  lady ;  so  kind,  and 
cheerful,  and  intelligent.  She  has  resided  with  her 
son  ever  since  he  left  West  Point,  having  been  a 
widow  for  many  years. 

Sam  Parker  came  and  whispered  to  Lucy,  "  Please 
come  and  tell  us  some  stories."  She  rose  instantly, 
and  went  with  him  to  a  snug  corner,  where  the  rest 
of  the  children  were  collected,  awaiting  the  result  of 
Sam's  mission.  There  she  took  a  seat  on  a  low 
bench,  the  children  on  the  floor  at  her  knee,  their 
eager  upturned  faces  soon  showing  that  she  well 
knew  the  art  of  interesting  their  young  minds. 

"Isn't  she  a  sweet  creature,  Mrs.  Howard?"  said 
I,  so  that  only  she  and  the  Colonel  could  hear  me; 
"  wouldn't  you  like  to  have  such  a  daughter  ?" 

"Yes,  Fanny,  or  daughter-in-law,"  she  replied, 
looking  smilingly  at  her  son. 

"  Oh,  mother,"  said  he,  "you  have  been  so  long 
mistress  of  my  establishment,  that  you  would  not 
suffer  a  rival  in  the  government." 


52  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"  There  would  be  no  rivalry,  dear  son ;  I  long  to 
resign  my  duties  and  responsibilities  to  one  more 
worthy  and  more  capable." 

"  Such  an  one  could  not  be  found,  mother,"  re 
plied  he,  taking  her  hand  and  pressing  it  fondly. 

17th.  We  have  had  some  dismal  rainy  days, 
obliging  the  females  to  stay  below  all  the  time. 

Occasionally  I  put  on  father's  oiled  silk  cap  and 
India-rubber  cape,  and  stand  at  the  top  of  the  gang 
way  to  see  what's  going  on  above.  This  morning, 
while  so  occupied,  I  heard  Mr.  Spencer  giving  an 
order  in  an  angry  voice.  I  called  to  him  when  he 
was  within  hearing,  "  Mr.  Mate,  please  don't  break 
Harry's  head,  or  kick  him  overboard,  now  that  there 
are  no  females  on  deck  !"  He  raised  his  cane  and 
ran  towards  me,  but  I  dodged  and  ran  to  my  room. 

19th.  Well,  this  day  we  have  had  excitement 
enough,  though  of  a  different  kind  from  what  I  have 
been  looking  for. 

It  was  just  after  dinner;  we  were  all  seated  under 
the  awning,  engaged  in  various  occupations,  I  hem 
ming  a  handkerchief  for  Mr.  Selden.  I  noticed 
Captain  Black  come  on  deck,  and  soon  a  little  knot 
of  men  were  collected  around  him.  He  seemed  to 
be  talking  angrily.  I  would  have  given  one  of  my 
ears  to  know  what  was  going  on,  but  I  feared  to  go 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  53 

forward.  Presently  Mr.  Spencer  came  towards  us 
and  beckoned  to  me.  I  went  to  meet  him. 

"  Miss  Fanny,"  said  he,  "there's  a  storm  brewing, 
and  I  want  you  ladies  to  go  below  until  it  is  over." 

"No,  indeed,"  said  I,  "it's  what  I've  been  long 
ing  for ;  you  must  have  me  lashed  to  the  mast  when 
the  worst  comes,  for  I  am  determined  to  see  it  all." 

"  Poh !  you  foolish  girl,  that's  not  what  I  mean. 
The  fact  is,  Captain  Black  is  overhauling  that  Mor 
ton,  and  he'll  order  him  aloft  before  many  minutes. 
If  he  refuses  or  fails,  you  may  guess  what  the 
upshot  will  be.  I  know  you'll  be  for  screaming  and 
begging  for  the  fellow,  but  it's  no  use  to  try  it  on 
Captain  Black  ;  you  can't  move  him  any  more  than 
you  can  bend  the  mainmast.  I  want  you  to  be  out 
of  the  way  in  case  anything  of  the  kind  should  have 
to  be  done.  You  will  go  down,  now,  won't  you?" 

"  Indeed  I  won't — I  can't ;  I  feel  that  I  must  see 
it  all." 

"Mr.  Spencer,"  roared  the  Captain,  "you're 
wanted  here,  sir."  The  mate  joined  him,  and  the 
whole  group  moved  nearer  to  the  mainmast,  where 
we  could  see  and  hear  all  that  was  done. 

"Now,  boy,"  said  the  Captain  loudly,  "I'll  give 
you  one  more  chance  to  escape  a  flogging.  If  you 
don't  reach  that  fore-top  in  ten  minutes,  as  sure  as 
5* 


54  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

there's  a  sky  above  us,  I'll  make  a  mark  on  your 
shoulders  that'll  never  leave  them.  Mr.  Spencer, 
make  ready  for  punishment." 

The  mate  gave  an  order  to  a  sailor,  who  went  be 
low,  and  immediately  returned  with  a  piece  of  tarred 
rope  tied  to  a  stick. 

"Stir  yourself,  fellow,"  said  the  Captain,  "five 
minutes  gone." 

"Captain,  spare  me — oh!  spare  me!"  cried  the 
poor  boy  in  agony.  "  I  cannot  do  it.  I  should  be 
dashed  to  pieces  on  the  deck.  You  cannot  be  so 
cruel ;  pity  my  youth,  pity  my  aged  grandparents, — 
oh !  spare  me,  I  am  too  young  to  die.  As  you  love 
life  yourself,  oh  do  not  put  an  end  to  mine !" 

"I  do  not  love  life,"  said  the  Captain,  with  a 
sneer,  "  so  up  with  you  at  once ;  you're  time  is  out. 
Off  with  your  jacket  and  up  instantly." 

Instead  of  obeying,  Morton  threw  himself  on  his 
knees  before  the  angry  man,  and,  with  his  hands 
clasped,  and  his  beautiful  eyes  fix^d  on  the  Captain, 
he  cried  in  the  most  solemn  and  appealing  tones, — 

"  Captain  Black,  are  you  a  father  ?" 

The  Captain  started  as  if  a  shot  had  struck  him, 
turned  deadly  pale,  and  grasped  Mr.  Spencer's  arm 
for  support. 


THE  ROMANCE  OP  THE  OCEAN.  55 

"What  is  your  request?"  said  he,  in  a  hoarse 
voice. 

"  Hear  me  one  moment  in  private ;  in  mercy  do  not 
refuse." 

"  Come  below,"  said  the  Captain,  glad,  I  suspect, 
of  an  excuse  to  retire  to  his  room.  After  a  few 
minutes,  Colonel  Howard  and  my  father  were  re 
quested  to  join  the  Captain  in  his  state-room. 

Such  a  state  of  suspense  and  anxiety  as  we  were 
all  in,  not  even  able  to  hazard  a  guess  as  to  what  was 
transpiring  below  !  At  last  the  gentlemen  returned 
looking  very  smiling. 

"  Well,"  said  I,  "  what  you  can  have  found  to  laugh 
at  in  such  an  affair,  I  cannot  imagine." 

"What  do  you  think,  Fan,"  said  father,  "Harry 
Morton  turns  out  to  be  Harriet  something  or  other, 
— in  short,  your  sailor-boy  has  changed  into  a  right 
pretty  girl." 

"  Oh !  delightful !"  said  I,  jumping  up  and  clapping 
my  hands  ;  "  who  would  have  guessed  such  a  denoue 
ment  ;  I  must  see  her — it's  too  good  for  real  life." 

"  Stop,  Fanny,  until  I  give  the  Captain's  message 
to  Mrs.  Howard.  He  begs,  madam,  that  you  ladies, 
among  you,  will  rig  out  the  young  woman  that  is  to 
be,  for  the  present.  A  box,  which  she  says  contains 


56  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

her  proper  apparel,  cannot  be  got  at  until  our 
arrival." 

Mrs.  Howard  immediately  went  below,  and  I  was 
on  the  point  of  following,  but  Lucy,  more  considerate, 
begged  me  not  to  see  the  girl  yet,  as  she  must  be, 
she  thought,  much  distressed  and  mortified  at  the 
disclosure  she  had  been  obliged  to  make. 

I  can  hardly  wait  until  to-morrow,  to  learn  the 
particulars  of  this  strange  story — for  strange  it  must 
be,  and  know  it  I  will. 

20th.  I  asked  father's  permission  to  give  Harriet 
a  vacant  berth  in  my  state-room,  pleading  my  loneli 
ness  at  night,  which  indeed  I  often  feel  to  a  painful 
degree.  He  consented,  if  Mrs.  Howard  approved; 
and  Mrs.  Howard  says  she  thinks  it  would  be  both 
right  and  kind  to  take  the  girl  under  my  protection. 
She  is  much  prepossessed  in  her  favour,  notwithstand 
ing  the  strange  manner  of  her  introduction  to  us. 

Evening.  Well  I  have  had  a  long  talk  with  Har 
riet,  and,  without  any  questioning  on  my  part,  she 
has  made  me  acquainted  with  her  whole  history. 

She  felt  so  distressed  at  the  unfavourable  opinion 
we  must  entertain  of  her,  that  she  wished  us  to  know 
her  reasons  for  her  strange  conduct :  sure,  she  said, 
that  we  would  at  least  judge  her  kindly,  if  we  could 
not  acquit  her  of  all  blame. 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  57 

She  is  really  very  handsome.  I  wish  you  could 
have  seen  her  as  she  sat  opposite  to  me  relating 
her  touching  tale,  her  expressive  countenance  now 
brightened  with  a  smile,  and  now  clouded  with  sad 
ness,  as  the  grave  or  gay  predominated  in  her  narra 
tive.  I  can  tell  it  most  easily  in  the  first  person ;  I 
think  I  can  recollect  her  exact  expressions. 

"  My  name  is  Harriet  O'Connor.  I  know  little 
about  my  parents.  My  father  was  a  soldier,  and 
was  stationed  at  Clinton  Barracks.  My  mother  died 
there  when  I  was  about  four  years  old.  I  think  my 
father  must  have  deserted,  for  my  grandparents 
never  mention  his  name ;  and  when  I  once  asked  my 
grandmother  to  tell  me  about  my  father,  she  wept 
bitterly,  and  said,  *  He  is  dead  to  you  and  all  of  us ; 
never  speak  of  him  more.'  I  have  seen  some  of  his 
letters,  which  are  preserved  in  an  old  family  Bible. 
I  believe  grandmother  never  opens  them,  but  I  have 
observed  her,  when  she  thought  she  was  unnoticed, 
take  them  up  and  look  at  the  handwriting  until  the 
tears  would  drop  down  on  the  old  Bible. 

"  In  these  letters  my  father  speaks  with  the  fondest 
aifection  of  his  wife  and  little  daughter.  In  one  he 
says,  *  The  officers'  ladies  are  very  kind  to  my  beau 
tiful  Harriet.'  Oh  !  Miss  Fanny,  how  I  have  longed 
to  hear  something  of  that  beautiful  mother.  I  have 


58  THE  KOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

no  recollection  of  her,  or  of  iny  life  at  the  garrison, 
except  that  I  remember  there  wsre  drums  and  soldiers 
and  a  flag  flying  from  a  high  staff.  I  was  about  five 
years  old  when  I  was  brought  to  my  grandparents, 
who  resided  in  New  York  city.  My  grandfather  is 
a  master-mason,  in  easy  circumstances.  I  have  been 
well  educated,  and  treated  with  the  greatest  kindness 
and  affection  by  my  excellent  relatives. 

"  Near  our  house  lived  a  man  who  was  of  the 
same  trade,  and  had  always  been  an  intimate  friend 
of  my  grandfather.  His  name  was  Watson.  He 
had  a  pleasant  family  of  sons  and  daughters.  With 
this  family  many  of  my  happiest  hours  were  spent. 
It  was  my  only  visiting-place,  my  grandparents 
seeming  to  avoid  society.  Frederick,  the  youngest 
son,  was  about  my  own  age,  and  from  our  childhood 
we  had  a  warm  attachment  for  each  other." 

I  laughed,  for  I  thought  I  could  see  through  it 
now.  Harriet  blushed  a  little,  but  continued. 

"I  was  so  happy  then.  My  kind  grandmother 
encouraged  my  frequent  visits  to  Mr.  Watson's, 
saying  that  the  old  house  was  too  dull  for  a  young 
heart.  Frederick  had  learned  the  trade  of  a  car 
penter,  and,  as  soon  as  he  had  made  enough  to 
furnish  a  small  house,  we  were  to  be  married.  We 
were  looking  forward  to  that  event  as  not  far  off, 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  59 

when,  one  bright  afternoon,  as  I  was  sitting  sewing 
with  his  sisters,  as  merry  as  a  party  could  be,  Fre 
derick  came  in,  pale  and  agitated,  and  throwing 
himself  into  a  seat,  cried  with  affected  glee,  '  Girls, 
give  me  joy  !  I  am  a  soldier :  in  a  week  I  shall  be 
off  for  California  ;  ho  for  gold  and  glory  !'  What  a 
shock  it  was  to  all  of  us.  His  mother  screamed, 
and  hung  about  his  neck  moaning,  '  Oh  my  son,  oh 
my  son  !'  It  was  a  long  time  before  we  could  ask, 
or  he  tell,  the  reasons  of  the  step  he  had  taken.  In 
deed  I  do  not  remember  that  he  gave  any,  for  when 
I  found  that  the  act  was  irrevocable,  it  was  my  great 
endeavour  to  reconcile  his  friends  to  his  conduct  and 
to  comfort  himself;  for,  now  that  he  had  leisure  to 
think  over  the  consequences  of  his  hasty  decision,  he 
was  nearly  distracted. 

"'Harriet,'  said  he  to  me,  'go  with  me;  be  my 
guardian  angel :  if  you  refuse,  I  shall  become  despe 
rate,  reckless.  I  shall  disgrace  myself,  bring  sorrow 
on  you  all.  Five  years !  Oh,  I  cannot  endure  it 
alone  five  years !' 

What  could  I  do  ?  how  resist  such  an  appeal, 
seconded  as  it  was  by  the  tears  and  entreaties  of  his 
mother  and  sisters  ?  I  consented,  if  I  could  obtain 
my  grandfather's  permission. 

" '  That  you  can  never  do,'  said  Mrs.  Watson ; 
'  they  would  rather  see  you  dead  than  married  to  a 


60  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

soldier.  No,  if  you  would  save  Frederick,  you  must 
be  his  wife,  before  you  see  them  again.  If  you  do 
not,  he  will  be  lost  to  you  for  ever.  Come  now,  this 
instant,  to  our  pastor ;  he  will  perform  the  ceremony 
immediately.  When  it  is  done,  your  grandparents 
will  see  the  necessity  of  submitting  to  it.' 

"  I  was  perhaps  too  weak,  too  yielding.  I  did  go 
with  them,  and  a  few  solemn  words  made  me  Frede 
rick's  wife  ;  bound  to  follow  him  till  death,  through 
:good  and  ill.  It  was  a  sad  bridal,  though  heaven 
knows  we  fondly  loved  each  other.  Mrs.  "Watson 
caressed  me,  and  blessed  me  again  and  again. 

"  Now  came  the  bitterest  trial.  I  must  go  home 
like  a  guilty  thing,  and  bring  sorrow  to  the  hearts 
that  had  cherished  me  so  tenderly  from  my  infancy. 
Up  to  this  time  I  had  been  thinking  most  of  Frede 
rick,  but  now  my  ingratitude  to  my  fond  parents,  for 
as  such  they  had  been  to  me,  struck  me  with  over 
whelming  force.  '  I  cannot  go  home,  Mrs.  Watson,' 
I  cried ;  '  I  cannot  meet  my  grandfather ;  he  will 
curse  me  when  he  knows  all — and  my  grandmother, 
oh  !  my  kind  grandmother,  I  shall  break  her  heart !' 

"  '  Dear  child,'  said  Mrs.  Watson,  '  I  will  go  with 
you ;  do  not  fear  their  anger,  they  love  you  too-  well 
to  be  harsh.  They  cannot  blame  you  when  they 
hear  all.' 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  61 

"  It  was  but  a  short  walk  to  the  door  of  my  home. 
With  a  throbbing  heart  and  burning  cheek,  I  entered, 
and  met  my  grandmother's  delighted  smile  as  she 
ran  forward  and  clasped  me  in  her  arms,  saying, 
'  Dear  child,  how  long  you  have  been  away  !  it  is  so 
lonely  without  you.' 

"Bursting  into  tears,  I  fell  on  my  knees,  and 
clasping  my  grandmother's  hands,  cried  out  abruptly, 
i  Frederick  is  a  soldier,  and  I  am  his  wife  /' 

"  My  grandmother  looked  steadily  at  me  a  moment, 
then  fell  back  senseless  into  her  chair.  Mrs.  Wat 
son  and  I  were  busily  applying  restoratives,  and  she 
was  gradually  recovering  her  recollection,  when  my 
grandfather  came  in.  He  stood  looking  on  in  be 
wildered  astonishment,  without  the  power  to  speak. 
At  length  my  grandmother  observed  him,  and  motion 
ing  to  him  to  come  near,  and  taking  both  his  hands 
in  hers,  looked  earnestly  in  his  eyes  and  said,  '  My 
dear,  my  faithful  companion  for  sixty  years,  I  have 
something  to  say  to  you.  Tell  me,  does  not  the 
curse  you  pronounced  on  our  miserable  son  lie  heavy 
on  your  heart  ?' 

"'It  does — it  does — heaven  only  knows  what  a 
weight  it  is  !' 

"  '  Will  you  promise,  solemnly  promise,  never  to 
curse  his  only  child,  our  little  Harriet  ?' 

6 


62  THE  KOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"  '  Harriet, — our  pride,  our  darling,  our  all ! — why- 
ask  such  a  strange  question  ?' 

"  '  No  matter  now.  Will  you  promise  that,  what 
ever  may  happen,  you  will  be  kind  to  the  child,  and 
if  she  should  err,  you  will  forgive,  as  you  would  be 
forgiven  ?' 

"  'I  will,  Caroline,  I  will.  As  I  hope  for  mercy 
at  last,  I  will  deal  tenderly  with  our  child.' 

"  '  Now,  Mrs.  Watson,  do  your  cruel  errand,  and 
may  heaven  strengthen  my  poor  husband  to  hear  it, 
and  live !' 

"With  many  more  words  than  I  had  used,  Mrs. 
Watson  told  the  tale.  My  grandfather  looked  at 
first  perplexed,  as  she  spoke  of  Frederick's  enlist 
ment  and  destination ;  but  when  she  mentioned  his 
urging  me  to  accompany  him,  and  then  my  consent, 
and  our  hasty  marriage,  he  sprang  up,  and  coming 
towards  me,  was  about,  I  thought,  to  utter  an  impre 
cation,  when  my  grandmother  caught  his  arm,  say 
ing,  '  Oh,  husband,  remember  !'  Instantly  subdued, 
his  countenance  changed  to  a  look  of  the  fondest 
affection,  and  putting  his  arms  around  me,  and 
pressing  my  head  to  his  bosom,  the  tears  rolled 
down  his  cheeks,  as  he  kissed  my  forehead,  saying, 
'  My  darling  child,  may  you  never  feel  such  sorrow 
as  you  have  brought  upon  us.' 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  63 

"  'As  for  you,  madam,'  he  said  sternly,  addressing 
Mrs.  Watson,  '  you  have  acted  a  base  part.  Think 
ing  only  of  your  son,  you  forgot  what  was  due  to  a 
motherless  girl.  You  may  leave  her  now  in  safer 
hands — hands  which  have  sheltered  her  and  laboured 
for  her  from  infancy.  Go  to  your  son ;  tell  him  if 
he  behaves  honourably  during  his  term  of  enlistment, 
and  at  the  end  of  it  returns  to  his  duty  at  home,  he 
may  then  claim  his  wife,  and  with  her  I  will  give  my 
blessing  and  my  fortune.  Until  that  time  comes, 
she  joins  him  not  with  my  consent.  She  is  not  of 
age — he  dare  not  resort  to  the  law.  Let  him  go 
alone,  and  encounter  the  dangers  and  difficulties  he 
has  thought  of  too  late.  If  he  returns  to  you  at  all, 
he  will  be  a  wiser  man.  But  stay,  madam, — had 
your  husband  any  share  in  this  business  ?' 

1  "No,  he  is  absent  from  the  city.' 

"  '  I  am  glad,  indeed,  to  hear  that  my  old  friend 
has  not  proved  false  to  me.  Now,  madam,  you  may 
go  ;  I  have  nothing  more  to  say.' 

"  Mrs.  Watson  rose,  but  throwing  herself  into  the 
seat  again,  and  bursting  into  tears,  she  cried,  '  Oh ! 
Mr.  O'Connor,  pity  my  son,  my  poor  son — he  will 
be  ruined  without  Harriet !  Let  her  go — five  years 
will  soon  pass.' 

"  '  Woman,'  replied  my  grandfather,  greatly  agi- 


64  THE  KOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

tated,  'don't  talk  to  me  of  five  years;  the  words  are 
like  a  knife  in  my  heart.  I  once  had  a  son,  dearer 
to  us,  far  dearer  than  yours  can  be  to  you,  for  he 
was  our  only  one.  He  married  a  lovely  woman,  and 
we  were  happy,  for  we  thought  our  children  would  be 
ever  with  us.  In  an  evil  hour  he  enlisted,  and  was 
ordered  to  a  distant  station.  'Father,'  he  cheer 
fully  said  at  parting,  for  he  saw  our  hearts  were  near 
to  breaking,  '  five  years  will  soon  pass,  and  then  we 
will  return,  and  make  your  old  age  happy.'  Five 
years  did  pass,  but  how  ?  Years  of  misery  they  were 
to  us,  years  of  shame  and  guilt  to  our  unhappy  son. 
At  the  end  of  that  time  a  motherless  babe  was  sent 
to  us;  the  wretched  father — ' 

"  He  stopped,  unable  to  continue.  '  Madam,'  he 
resumed  at  length,  'you  may  go.  Comfort  your 
son  as  you  can,  but  of  this  be  assured,  Harriet  shall 
not  go  with  him.' 

"Mrs.  Watson  retired  without  speaking,  and  as 
soon  as  the  door  closed  behind  her,  my  grandparents 
each  took  a  seat  beside  me  on  the  sofa,  and  for  a 
few  minutes  we  all  wept  together. 

"  '  Harriet,'  said  my  grandfather,  'I  shall  confine 
you  to  your  chamber  until  the  vessel  has  sailed;  you 
are  too  weak  and  yielding  to  be  trusted  with  your 
pretended  friends,  the  Watsons.  If  it  were  for  your 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  65 

happiness,  my  darling,  I  would  let  you  go,  though  I 
might  never  know  another  happy  hour ;  but  knowing, 
as  I  do,  the  trials  and  temptations  to  which  you 
would  be  exposed,  I  cannot,  I  dare  not  consent. 
Wife,  lock  her  in  the  chamber  in  the  third  story, 
and  bring  away  the  key.' 

"I  did  not  attempt  resistance.  I  felt  it  was  right, 
but  I  wept  when  I  thought  of  Frederick.  I  am 
making  my  story  tiresome,  but  I  have  little  more  to 
tell.  I  was  kindly  treated  during  my  confinement. 
My  grandparents  spent  many  hours  with  me,  and 
provided  everything  they  could  to  entertain  me.  Of 
course  Frederick's  name  was  never  mentioned. 

"  The  first  Sunday  after  my  imprisonment,  my 
grandmother  came  in,  and  kissing  me,  said,  'Now, 
my  daughter,  you  are  free ;  the  vessel  sailed  yester- 
day.' 

"We  went  to  church,  as  usual.  I  saw  the  Wat 
sons,  but  they  avoided  me.  As  we  went  out,  the  old 
sexton  slipped  a  letter  into  my  hand,  which  I  con 
cealed  under  my  shawl.  As  soon  as  I  reached  my 
room  I  opened  it.  It  was  from  Frederick — a  wild 
epistle  as  ever  was  penned,  by  turns  angry,  tender, 
despairing.  He  implored  me,  by  every  argument  he 

could  use,  to  come  to  him.     You  will  think  me  very 

6* 


66  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

weak  and  wicked  to  have  yielded,  as  I  did,  to  his 
entreaties.  I  could  think  of  nothing  but  how  I 
should  join  him.  I  saw  that  a  vessel  was  advertised 
to  sail  for  the  same  port  in  a  day  or  two.  I  begged 
my  grandmother  to  let  Sarah  Watson  visit  me.  She 
sent  for  her.  I  told  her  my  wish,  and  asked  her 
aid.  She  said  she  and  her  sisters  and  mother  would 
gladly  do  what  they  could  secretly,  but  that  their 
father,  on  his  return,  was  so  angry  at  Frederick, 
and  at  her  mother,  for  urging  me  to  the  step  I  had 
taken,  that  he  had  forbidden  any  of  them  to  speak 
to  me  on  the  subject. 

"  I  told  her  my  plan,  which  was  to  disguise  myself 
as  a  sailor,  and  as  such,  seek  employment  on  a  vessel 
bound  to  California.  I  knew  Mrs.  Watson  had  a 
chest  of  clothing  belonging  to  a  son  who  had  once 
been  to  sea.  I  asked  for  these,  and  that  they  would 
furnish  me  also  with  a  supply  of  female  apparel  to 
use  when  I  left  the  ship,  as  I  could  not,  without  risk 
of  detection,  bring  any  of  my  own  from  home.  This 
she  promised  they  would  do.  The  next  day  I  went 
to  Mr.  Watson's,  dressed  myself  in  a  sailor's  suit, 
went  on  board  this  ship,  the  Wildfire,  and  was  at 
once  engaged  by  Captain  Black. 

"On  Monday  evening  I  told  my  grandmother  I 
was  going  to  stay  with  Sarah  Watson  all  night ;  she 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  67 

made  no  objection,  but  kissed  me  and  told  me  to 
stay  as  long  as  I  pleased. 

"  Oh,  was  not  my  heart  hardened,  when  I  could 
thus  leave  my  grandmother  for  years,  perhaps, 
for  ever !  You  think  me  unfeeling,  Miss  Fanny,  I 
know,  and  you  have  reason  to  do  so,  but  many  a 
sleepless  hour  I  pass  at  night  when  all  is  still 
around  me,  watering  my  pillow  with  bitter  tears.  I 
hear  again  my  grandmother's  voice  saying  fondly, 
Hhe  old  house  is  lonely  without  you,'  and  I  see  them 
sitting  at  their  silent  hearth,  and  thinking  of,  but 
never  naming,  the  child  who  has  so  basely  deserted 
them.  Oh !  I  will  write  to  them  ;  I  will  tell  them  I 
was  wretched,  distracted.  I  know  they  will  pity,  will 
forgive,  will  pray  for  me." 

Harriet  buried  her  face  in  her  hands,  and  wept 
passionately.  Dear  girl !  I  could  not  help  throwing 
my  arms  around  her,  and  joining  my  tears  with 
hers.  When  she  became  calm  she  went  on  with  her 
story. 

"  I  had  no  difficulty  in  getting  on  board  the  ship, 
the  day  she  was  to  sail.  All  that  has  passed  since, 
you  know. 

"  I  thought,  at  first,  I  would  make  myself  known 
to  Mrs.  Howard,  she  looked  so  good  and  kind,  and 
ask  her  to  take  me  out  as  her  servant ;  but  again  I 


68       f  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

considered  that  if  I  could  sustain  my  assumed  cha 
racter  until  I  reached  Frederick,  he  might  never 
have  to  hlush  for  the  degradation  I  had  endured  for 
his  sake,  as  he  might  do  if  I  made  it  known." 

"If  he  does  not  love  you  the  better  for  it,"  said 
I,  "he  must  be  a  very  wretch." 

"  Oh !  he  will,  I'm  sure  he  will,"  said  Harriet, 
warmly.  "  I  have  made  you  think  of  him  as  selfish, 
unreasonable,  passionate  ;  but  indeed  he  was  none 
of  these  until  he  took  that  fatal  step.  His  disposi 
tion  seemed  then  entirely  changed.  It  was  seeing 
this  that  made  me  think  it  my  duty  to  follow.  I 
feared  for  his  reason,  his  life  ;  and  I  fancied  a  voice 
whispering  in  my  ear,  '  his  soul  will  I  require  at 
thy  hands.'  Now,  Miss  Fanny,  you  know  all.  Do 
you  blame  me  so  very  much,  and  do  you  think  Mrs. 
Howard  will  look  coldly  on  me  ?  Oh  !  I  could  not 
bear  it,  I  think,  I  feel  such  a  desire  to  secure  her 
affection  and  sympathy." 

"Oh !  do  not  be  uneasy,  dear  Harriet,"  I  replied. 
"I  carniot  see  that  you  are  to  blame  at  all,  and  I  am 
sure  of  Mrs.  Howard's  kind  judgment.  I  will  go 
and  tell  our  friends  the  whole.  They  are  much  in 
terested  for  you  already,  and  will  be  more  so  when 
they  are  acquainted  with  your  history." 

To  me,  the  greatest  pleasure  in  hearing  a  good 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  69 

story,  is  the  prospect  of  imparting  it  to  others.  I 
do  not  in  the  least  resemble  the  oyster,  which  will 
open  its  shell  to  receive  a  pearl,  and  closing  it  again, 
will  monopolize  the  precious  secret,  unless  compelled 
by  force  to  relinquish  it.  You  know  I  never  could 
enjoy  a  novel  by  myself,  and  even  to  eat  an  ice-cream 
alone  is  intolerable. 

I  hurried  on  deck,  and  found  our  party  collected 
in  the  accustomed  spot.  Every  eye  turned  inquir 
ingly  on  me  as  I  joined  the  group,  but  without 
speaking  I  sat  down  and  took  out  my  work. 

1 ' Miss  Fanny,"  said  Mr.  Selden,  "I  have  another 
handkerchief  beside  that ;  you  need  not  be  in  such 
haste  to  finish  it." 

"Come,  Fanny,"  said  Mrs.  Howard,  "remember 
the  golden  rule." 

"  Oh,  well,"  said  I,  laying  down  my  work,  "  I  am 
ready  now ;  but  I  have  been  hearing  a  strange  tale, 
and  I  really  wanted  a  little  time  to  compose  my 
thoughts." 

I  gave  them  the  account  nearly  word  for  word 
as  I  have  written  it.  Never  had  a  speaker  a  more 
attentive  audience.  When  I  came  to  the  scene 
in  her  grandfather's  house,  there  were  few  dry 
eyes  in  the  circle  around  me.  I  stole  a  glance  at 
Mrs.  Parker :  actually  there  were  unmistakeable 


70  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

drops  in  her  eyes  too ;  the  woman  has  a  little  piece 
of  a  heart  after  all. 

I  had  not  commenced  as  Harriet  did  by  telling 
her  name.  When  I  had  concluded,  Mrs.  Howard 
asked,  if  she  had  told  me  her  real  name.  "  Yes, — it 
is  Harriet  O'Connor." 

"Harriet  O'Connor,"  she  repeated,  starting  up, 
"  impossible  !  Yet  it  must  be  the  same  !  Come  with 
me  a  moment,  Fanny,"  she  continued,  putting  her 
arm  in  mine,  and  leading  me  apart  from  the  com 
pany. 

"  Call  my  son,  my  dear  child ;  I  feel  so  weak  and 
agitated." 

I  beckoned  the  Colonel  to  us. 

"William,  do  you  recollect  that  miserable  man, 
O'Connor,  who  belonged  to  your  company  at  Clinton 
Barracks,  fifteen  years  ago?" 

"  Yes,  mother,  I  remember  him  perfectly,  and  his 
young  wife,  who  was  so  remarkable  for  her  beauty ; 
but  what  has  reminded  you  of  him  at  this  time  ?" 

"  My  son,  this  young  sailor-girl  is  his  daughter,  the 
sweet  infant  of  whom  you  took  so  much  notice." 

"  Strange — strange,  indeed,  if  it  be  so  ;  and  now  I 
see  it  must  be ;  the  likeness  between  this  girl  and  her 
mother  is  striking, — do  you  not  think  so  ?" 

"  Yes,  it  is — it  was  this  resemblance  to  some  fa- 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  71 

miliar  face,  that  made  me  interested  in  her  from  the 
first.  And  now  what  is  to  be  done  ?  She  evidently 
knows  nothing  of  her  father's  history.  Should  she 
ever  learn  it,  it  would  cast  a  cloud  over  her  whole 
existence." 

"Dear  Mrs.  Howard,"  said  I,  "do  tell  me,  I  am 
so  interested  for  Harriet.  You  may  trust  me,  indeed 
you  may." 

"  I  will  trust  you,  Fanny.  I  am  sure,  after  the  ob 
servation  I  have  just  made,  you  would  never  allow 
yourself  to  reveal  the  secret.  But  not  now,"  said 
she  gently,  seeing  my  look  of  impatience,  "  I  must 
be  alone  for  awhile.  Po  jfou  and  Lucy  come  to  my 
state-room  after  dinner.  You  see  I  understand  your 
social  disposition,  Fanny — you  will,  I  am  sure,  want 
one  to  help  you  keep  the  secret." 

Now  I  do  not  consider  it  a  violation  of  my  promise 
to  tell  it  to  you,  Ellen,  as  I  surely  shall  do.  Have 
not  our  bosoms  been  the  repository  of  each  other's 
secrets  ever  since  we  had  any  to  communicate  ?  I 
am  sure  it  will  be  as  safe  with  you  as  if  it  were  locked 
in  an  asbestos  chest.  I  sometimes  thought  you  were 
a  little  too  close.  While  I  fulfilled  literally  my  part 
of  our  contract,  telling  you  everything  that  I  heard, 
felt,  or  imagined,  you  had  so  few  confidences  to 
make,  that  I  was  inclined  to  accuse  you  of  unfairness. 


72  THE  KOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

This  will  be  the  first  real  secret  I  have  ever  been  en 
trusted  with ;  one  that  can  never  be  revealed  without 
endangering  the  happiness,  it  may  be  the  lives  of 
those  concerned  in  it.  I  almost  shrink  from  the  trust. 
I  am  sure  I  shall  feel  ten  years  older  at  once. — 
Twelve  o'clock  !  how  long  it  will  be  until  dinner-time, 
and  then  we  sit  so  long  at  the  table  !  I  hope  Mrs. 
Howard  won't  wait  for  the  nuts  and  fruit  to-day. 

Dinner  was  announced  and  disposed  of  as  usual. 
I  did  not  catch  Mrs.  Howard's  eye  until  the  pudding 
came  on.  What  my  looks  said  I  do  not  know  exactly  ; 
but  Mrs.  Howard  declined  being  helped,  and  rose 
from  the  table,  glancing  «nt  me  as  she  retired.  I 
beckoned  to  Lucy,  who  immediately  followed  me  to 
Mrs.  Howard's  room. 

"It  is  now  fourteen  or  fifteen  years,"  said  Mrs. 
Howard,  "since  my  son  left  West  Point,  and  was 
ordered  to  Clinton  Barracks.  I  accompanied  him  to 
this  his  first  post,  and  have  ever  since  resided  with 
him  when  he  was  in  garrison.  There  was  a  man  be 
longing  to  his  company  named  O'Connor,  who  had 
come  on  there  a  short  time  before,  from  New  York, 
with  his  wife,  a  beautiful  young  woman,  and  as  re 
markable  for  her  genteel  manners,  as  for  her  per 
sonal  advantages.  O'Connor,  a  respectable  man  of 
superior  education,  was  soon  created  a  sergeant,  but 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  73 

falling  into  bad  company,  became  intoxicated,  and 
was  reduced  to  the  ranks.  I  was  inquiring  for  a 
woman  of  the  company  to  do  our  washing.  Mrs. 
O'Connor  was  sent  to  me.  I  was  interested  in  her 
from  the  first,  and  seeing  her  afterwards  every  week, 
I  became  greatly  attached  to  her.  She  was  still  very 
handsome,  although  the  blooming  cheek  which  had 
once  gained  her  the  name  of  *  the  Rose  of  the  Regi 
ment,'  was  now  almost  as  pale  as  the  lily.  She  had 
a  babe  about  fifteen  months  old,  the  prettiest  little 
creature  I  ever  saw.  It  was  running  about  and  just 
beginning  to  talk  when  its  mother  first  came  to  work 
at  our  house.  She  had  to  bring  it  with  her,  when  I 
would  always  take  it  to  my  chamber  and  keep  it  for 
the  day.  My  son,  who  is  fond  of  young  children, 
would  often  take  it  up  and  walk  the  portico  with  it, 
until  it  would  fall  to  sleep  on  his  shoulder.  As  it 
grew  older,  he  took  much  pleasure  in  talking  to  it 
and  teaching  it  its  letters  and  little  verses.  You  will 
not  wonder  then,  dear  girls,  at  my  agitation  when  I 
recognised  in  the  unfortunate  Harriet,  our  infant  fa 
vourite. 

"Mrs.  O'Connor  made  me  acquainted  with  her  his 
tory,  and  often  came  to  me  for  advice  and  sympathy. 
She  was  an  orphan,  with  a  small  property,  and  had 
been  brought  up  by  O'Connor's  father,  who  was  her 

7 


74  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

guardian.  She  spoke  of  the  old  couple,  as  of  the 
most  affectionate  parents,  and  said  it  was  the  first 
unhappy  day  she  had  ever  known,  when  her  husband 
told  them  of  his  enlistment.  He  soon  began  to 
grieve  for  home,  and  that  made  him,  she  thought, 
seek  gay  company,  and  thus  he  was  led  on  deeper 
and  deepei*  into  transgression,  until  she  feared  he 
had  become  a  hopeless  gambler  and  drunkard.  I 
asked  if  he  was  kind  to  her.  The  tears  filled  her 
eyes  as  she  replied, 

"'Yes,  ma'am,  when  he  is  himself,  but  when  he 
has  been  drinking  a  little,  he  comes  home  raving  like 
a  maniac.  Then  he  blames  me  as  the  cause  of  all 
his  misfortunes.  If  I  answer  him,  he  strikes  me,  and 
calls  me  impertinent;  and  if  I  am  silent,  he  strikes 
me,  and  says  I  am  stubborn.  Sometimes  he  tries  to 
beat  my  baby ;  I  can't  bear  that,  I  snatch  it  up,  and 
run  out  and  sit  with  it  behind  the  pile  of  wood,  back 
of  the  barracks,  until  I  think  he  has  gone  to  sleep. 
Then  I  steal  to  my  room,  put  my  poor  child  into  its 
cradle,  and  sit  by  the  fire  preparing  something  nice 
for  my  husband  to  eat  when  he  wakes.' 

"  '  Why  don't  you  appeal  to  your  officer  for  protec 
tion,  or  take  refuge  with  a  neighbour  ?'  said  I. 

"'Oh,  Mrs.  Howard,'  she  answered,  'I  feel  so 
humbled,  to  look  at  my  husband  and  at  myself  and 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  75 

think  of  what  we  once  were.  I  wish  to  hide  myself ; 
as  if  I  could  thus  in  part  conceal  my  degradation. 
Alas  for  my  dear  parents !  who  are  looking  forward 
with  hope  to  the  close  of  our  term  of  enlistment. 
Miserable,  disgraced,  lost,  as  my  husband  is,  how 
can  we  venture  to  return  to  that  dear  pure  home  !  I 
often  think  I  will  send  them  our  poor  babe,  and  let 
them  believe  it  an  orphan.  It  will  be  happier  for 
them  than  to  learn  the  truth.' 

"  Unhappy  woman,  my  heart  bled  for  her,  yet  I 
could  do  nothing  but  point  her  to  the  only  source  of 
comfort  for  the  sufferer.  I  lent  her  books  suitable 
to  her  circumstances,  and  induced  her  to  spend  much 
of  her  time  in  my  family.  She  could  do  this  the 
more  readily,  as  her  husband  was  much  of  the  time 
confined  in  the  guard-house  for  drunkenness. 

"  One  day  when  she  came  to  work,  she  seemed  in 
so  much  better  spirits  than  I  had  ever  seen  her,  that 
I  could  not  avoid  remarking  it. 

"  '  Oh,  yes,  ma'am,'  said  she,  '  I  have  a  little  hope 
now  that  I  may  see  better  days.  My  husband  has 
been  sober  for  a  week.  He  is  so  kind  to  me,  and  so 
fond  of  our  little  Harriet,  it  makes  me  quite  happy. 
He  says  he  will  live  a  new  life  from  this  time,  and 
that  only  one  year,  and  we'll  go  back  to  the  dear  old 


76  THE  KOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

father  and  mother.'  I  repeated  this  to  my  son  when 
he  next  came  in  from  parade. 

"  '  Ah  !'  said  he,  shaking  his  head  sorrowfully,  '  I 
fear  she  will  be  sadly  disappointed.  I  am  convinced 
O'Connor  was  not  quite  sober  at  roll-call,  and  he 
will  not  be  satisfied  now  until  he  gets  more  liquor.' 

"After  tattoo,  I  inquired  for  O'Connor.  My  son 
said  he  thought  he  had  been  drinking  more  ;  but  not 
enough  to  justify  his  sending  him  to  the  guard-house. 

" '  I  am  sorry  for  it,'  said  I,  '  I  always  feel  un 
easy  when  I  hear  that  he  is  only  partially  drunk.' 

"  I  suppose  it  was  about  ten  o'clock  that  night, 
we  had  just  retired,  when  the  alarm  drum  was  beaten. 
My  son  hurried  off,  and  was  gone  more  than  an  hour. 
When  he  returned  he  was  greatly  agitated,  and 
throwing  himself  into  a  chair,  said  hurriedly,  '  Don't 
ask  me  yet,  mother — it  was  too  dreadful  1' 

"  After  allowing  him  a  few  moments  to  recover,  I 
asked,  'Is  it  O'Connor?'  'Yes.'  <He  has  killed 
himself !'  '  No,  no — would  that  he  had  ;  worse, 
much  worse.'  I  could  not  inquire  farther.  I  knew 
too  well  what  must  have  occurred. 

"  '  Yes,'  said  my  son,  'he  has  killed  his  wife — his 
fond,  faithful,  beautiful  wife.  There  she  lay  upon 
the  floor,  with  a  deep  wound  in  her  forehead,  her 
dress  and  hair  saturated  with  blood.  The  murderer 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  77 

sat  upon  the  bed,  with  an  idiotic  grin  upon  his  face, 
and  in  his  hand  the  axe  with  which  he  had  done  the 
hellish  deed.  We  took  him  to  the  cell,  where  he 
will  have  a  bitter  waking  on  the  morrow.' 

"  « Where  is  the  child  ?'  I  asked. 

"  '  Sergeant  Garland  took  it  home  with  him  ;  he 
says  his  wife  will  take  care  of  it,  until  it  can  be  sent 
to  its  grandparents.' 

"  Mrs.  Garland  had  no  children,  and  was  a  kind- 
hearted,  excellent  woman.  The  next  day  information 
of  the  occurrence  was  sent  to  Sultan,  the  county 
town,  ten  miles  distant.  A  party  of  police  came 
and  took  O'Connor  up  to  prison. 

"  The  poor  victim  was  buried  in  the  military  grave 
yard, — a  beautifully  romantic  spot,  on  a  high  bluff  of 
the  Mississippi  River.  The  funeral  was  attended  by 
the  whole  garrison;  for  Mrs.  O'Connor  had  gained 
the  respect  of  every  one  by  the  perfect  propriety  of 
her  behaviour.  The  chaplain  made  a  most  interest 
ing  address  at  the  grave.  He  had  known  the  woman 
well,  had  often  visited  her,  and  felt,  he  said,  well 
assured  that  she  had  the  hope  of  the  Christian,  and 
was  now  at  rest.  He  closed  with  the  beautiful  quo 
tation — 

'  Many  fall  as  sudden,  not  as  safe.' 

7* 


78  THE  EOMANCB  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"In  about  a  month  O'Connor's  trial  came  on. 
There  were  no  eye-witnesses  of  the  murder ;  but 
many  soldiers  in  an  adjoining  room  heard  O'Con 
nor's  voice  in  threatening  tones,  then  his  wife's  cry 
for  mercy,  followed  instantly  by  the  blow  which 
deprived  her  of  life.  Rushing  into  the  apartment, 
they  found  him  with  the  bloody  axe  in  his  hand. 
The  evidence  was  so  clear  that  the  jury,  only  re 
tiring  for  a  moment,  returned  with  the  verdict  of 
guilty,  and  he  was  condemned  to  be  hung  at  the 
expiration  of  ten  days. 

"  Contrary  to  the  usual  custom,  O'Connor  pleaded 
guilty  when  the  question  was  put  to  him  at  the 
commencement  of  the  trial. 

"Addressing  the  court,  he  said,  'Though  I  stand 
here  before  you  a  murderer,  I  was  brought  up  in  the 
fear  of  God ;  and  though  I  know  it  is  considered  a 
mere  form  to  say  "not  guilty,"  I  will  not  add  a  lie 
to  the  black  catalogue  of  my  crimes.  Yes,  your 
honour,  I  am  guilty — guilty;  the  blood  of  a  wife, 
who  was  dearer  to  me  than  the  mother  who  watched 
over  me  from  infancy  to  manhood,  is  on  these  hands' 
(holding  them  up  to  view).  '  The  stain  is  deep ;  I 
can  never  wash  it  off — never.'  He  spoke  loudly, 
and  looked  wildly  about  him.  A  constable  who 
stood  at  his  side  caught  his  arm,  and  compelled  him 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  79 

to  sit  down.  A  glass  of  water  was  handed  to  him, 
after  drinking  which  he  became  again  composed. 
His  demeanour  during  the  trial  excited  much  sym 
pathy  for  him,  but  no  one  doubted  the  justice  of  his 
sentence. 

"Two  or  three  days  before  the  time  appointed 
for  O'Connor's  execution,  Mrs.  Garland,  the  woman 
who  had  his  child,  was  awakened  about  midnight  by 
a  gentle  tap  at  the  window-pane.  She  went  to  it, 
and  by  the  brilliant  moonlight  saw  a  man  standing 
outside.  He  raised  his  finger  to  enjoin  caution,  and 
then  beckoned  her  to  open  the  door.  She  did  so. 
'  Is  the  Sergeant  asleep  ?'  said  he.  *  Yes.'  '  Well, 
O'Connor  has  sent  me  to  see  his  child;  he  cannot 
die  in  peace  until  he  hears  from  her  once  more. 
Will  you  let  me  in,  only  for  a  minute  ?' 

"Mrs.  Garland  led  him  to  the  cradle  where  the 
lovely  babe  lay,  in  the  calm,  sweet  sleep  of  child 
hood.  The  moon  shone  on  its  little  face,  making  it 
bright  as  that  of  an  infant  angel.  The  man  knelt 
by  the  cradle,  and  bending  over  the  child,  kissed  its 
ferehead,  its  mouth,  its  hands,  while  tears  fell  pro 
fusely  from  his  eyes  upon  the  face  of  the  peaceful 
sleeper. 

"  Then  rising  to  his  feet,  he  clasped  Mrs.  Gar- 


80  THE  HOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

land's  hand,  and  crying  'God  bless  you  for  your 
kindness  !'  rushed  out  of  the  door. 

"Mrs.  Garland  looked  after  him,  and  saw  him 
joined  by  a  man  whose  presence  seemed  to  command 
respect ;  for  although  they  had  to  pass  several 
sentries,  she  heard  no  challenge. 

"  She  returned  to  her  bed,  and  did  not  mention 
the  circumstance  until  her  husband  had  gone  out  to 
his  morning  duties.  Then  she  came  to  me,  and  re 
lated  the  strange  occurrence.  We  agreed  not  to 
speak  of  it  to  any  one.  During  the  day  a  party  of 
police  came  down  to  the  barracks,  and  searched 
every  corner  for  the  criminal.  They  could  discover 
no  trace  of  him,  and  concluding  that  he  had  secreted 
himself  on  board  a  steamboat,  returned  to  Sultan 
to  prosecute  the  search. 

"  This,  dear  girls,  is  the  last  that  is  known  of  the 
miserable  man.  I  am  sure  you  will  feel  more  kindly 
than  ever  towards  this  poor  child,  who  is  innocently 
and  unconsciously  connected  with  this  fearful  secret. 
Now  go ;  you  can  talk  it  over  together,  but  beware 
how  you  ever  mention  it  to  others." 

"It  is  a  fearful  secret,  Ellen,  is  it  not?  I  am 
almost  sorry  I  asked  to  hear  it." 


CHAPTER   III. 

The  Captain's  Newfoundland  Dog  overboard — Mrs.  Parker  and 
Lucy  again — Fanny  Disappointed — Sights  not  worth  Seeing — 
Whales  don't  come  up  to  her  Expectation — Sam  Parker  miss 
ing — Another  Flare-up — Fanny's  Visit  to  Nero,  the  Cook — 
Rio  Janeiro. 

25TH.  I  have  been  more  than  a  week  writing 
down  this  account.  I  know  that  I  am  in  the  habit 
of  reading  over  a  sentence  occasionally  aloud,  and  I 
might  do  it  unconsciously — and  then,  oh  dear !  the 
consequence — I  dare  not  think  of  it.  For  that 
reason  I  put  it  out  of  my  power  to  do  any  mischief, 
by  reading  Harriet  to  sleep  before  I  sit  down  to  my 
writing-desk.  Would  you  like  to  know  what  book  I 
found  to  answer  my  purpose  ?  What  but  old  Malte- 
Brun? 

I  went  to  father's  room  one  day,  and  asked  him 
to  let  me  have  the  first  volume. 

"What  for?"  said  he  in  surprise. 

"Why,  I  intend  to  read  it  aloud  to  Harriet,"  said 
I.  "  I  think  it  right  that  I  should  try  to  improve 
the  opportunity  I  have  of  being  useful  to  her." 


82  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"A  good  speech,  daughter  Fanny,  and  a  bright 
idea  for  you,"  said  father,  as  he  gave  me  the  book 
and  a  slap  on  my  cheek. 

Well,  the  first  night,  after  Harriet  was  snugly 
fixed  in  her  berth,  I  told  her  I  was  going  to  read  to 
her  until  she  got  sleepy.  I  opened  at  the  word  Cali 
fornia.  It  gave  the  history,  past,  present,  and  to 
come,  of  that  then  unknown  country. 

Harriet's  eyes  sparkled  at  the  word  California, 
but  she  soon  closed  them,  and  in  about  ten  minutes 
was  sound  asleep.  A  sweet  expression  of  happiness 
was  on  her  face,  as  if  in  dreams  she  was  roaming 
through  that  beautiful  country,  with  some  other 
guide,  though,  I  fancy,  than  old  Malte-Brun. 

If  you  should  ever  be  doomed  "  to  court  that 
sleep  which  still  will  fly,"  try  a  page  of  this  invalua 
ble  work.  You  will  find  it  more  effectual  than  count 
ing  a  hundred  backwards,  or  any  other  method  that 
ever  was  devised. 

26th.  Captain  Black  has  a  beautiful  Newfound 
land  dog,  of  a  large  size,  spotted  white  and  brown, 
and  named  Rover.  It  is  always  at  his  side,  except 
when  he  sends  it  into  the  water,  which  he  does  daily 
in  calm  weather.  He  generally  swims  about  for  half 
an  hour,  diving,  and  playing  with  sticks  and  pieces 
of  cork  that  are  thrown  over  to  him.  The  Captain 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  83 

on  these  occasions,  I  observe,  always  goes  down  into 
his  room,  and  stays  there  until  he  wishes  the  dog 
taken  on  board,  then  comes  on  deck,  and  has  the 
boat  lowered,  until  Rover  can  climb  into  it.  I  be 
lieve  the  Captain  cannot  bear  the  mirth  and  noise 
that  are  occasioned  by  Rover's  gambols.  He  ap 
pears  to  love  the  animal  devotedly,  often  stopping 
as  he  paces  the  deck,  to  pat  the  dog's  head  and  say, 
"  Fine  fellow,  fine  fellow !"  At  dinner,  too,  Rover 
lies  at  his  master's  feet,  and  is  always  remembered 
as  soon  as  the  guests  are  helped. 

I  asked  Nero  one  day  if  he  fed  the  Captain's  dog. 

"  Oh  no,  missy  ;"  said  he,  "  Capt'in  no  let  massa 
Rover  eat  wid  nigger, — he  eat  at  fust  table  wid  white 
folks." 

"  Why  do  you  call  a  dog  massa?"  said  I  laughing. 

"  He  gentleman  dog,  missy ;  I  take  off  cap  when 
I  sees  him,  and  I  says,  'Good  mornin',  massa  Rover.' 
But  he  snuff  up  he  nose,  and  turn  away  he  head, — he 
too  proud  to  see  nigger.  Fine  ting  to  be  a  gentle 
man  dog;  wish  Nero  was  dog." 

"  Oh,  Nero,"  said  I,  wishing  to  comfort  him, 
"  dogs  can't  eat  tobacco ;  what  would  you  do  with 
out  tobacco?" 

"  Berry  true,  funny  missy,  Nero  neber  lib  widout 


84  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

baccy ;  don't  wish  him  be  dog  any  more,— redder  be 
nigger  and  hab  plenty  baccy." 
Some  one  has  written : 

"  Of  all  the  sweets  of  nature,  sweeter  far 
A  friend  to  smoke  with,  and  a  good  segar." 

Nero  required  still  less  to  make  his  happiness. 
In  his  little  dark  kitchen,  at  work  among  his  pots 
and  pans,  with  a  "chaw"  of  tobacco  in  his  mouth, 
and  a  good  supply  in  his  pocket,  he  envies  not  the 
king  on  his  throne.  "As  happy  as  a  king"  is,  I 
believe,  the  legitimate  standard  in  measuring  happi 
ness.  It  may  be  that  in  former  times,  kings  were 
happier  than  other  people :  you  know  we  are  told 
that  "  Old  King  Cole  was  a  merry  old  soul."  But  I 
don't  see  any  of  the  kings  of  our  days  who  can  pre 
tend  to  an  uncommon  degree  of  happiness.  Yes,  I 
must  except  Prince  Albert,  who  enjoys  most  of  the 
privileges  of  royalty,  without  any  of  its  troubles  or 
responsibilities.  His  is  certainly  an  enviable  situa 
tion. 

"Well,  if  I  am  not  the  craziest  sane  mortal  that 
ever  attempted  to  write  down  the  history  of  his 
every-day  life  !  I  should  be  ashamed  to  think  that 
any  one  beside  yourself  would  read  this  serio-comico- 
tragico  trash,  an  "  olla  podrida,"  as  Marryat  would 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  85 

call  it.  It's  your  own  fault,  Ellen ;  you  ought  to 
have  known  better  than  to  ask  me  to  write  a  journal ; 
me,  who  never  did  anything  methodically  in  my  life. 
You  would  partly  excuse  the  awkwardly  finished 
sentences,  and  abrupt  style  of  jumping  from  one 
subject  to  another,  if  you  could  realize  some  of  the 
disadvantages  I  labour  under.  Often  when  I  get  in 
terested  in  some  scene  I  am  describing,  and  am  scrib 
bling  away  at  the  rate  of  seven  knots  an  hour,  all 
at  once  a  tremendous  jar,  occasioned  by  some  move 
ment  on  deck,  knocks  over  my  inkstand,  spilling  its 
contents  over  my  nearly  filled  sheet.  I  should  like 
to  see  how  you  would  bear  such  a  catastrophe ;  you 
whom  we  always  called  the  philosopher.  As  for  me,  I 
don't  pretend  to  bear  it  at  all ;  I  don't  know  exactly 
what  I  do,  but  I  suspect  I  cut  some  queer  capers, 
for  I  am  generally  brought  to  my  senses  by  a 
hearty  laugh  from  Harriet,  for  which  the  poor  girl 
gets  first  a  box  on  the  ear,  if  she  is  not  very  quick 
in  making  her  escape,  and  then,  when  I  regain  my 
good  temper,  a  sincere  apology.  After  such  a  mis 
chance,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  rally  and  marshal 
again,  in  their  proper  order,  the  ideas  which  were 
dispersed  by  that  rude  shock.  Do  what  I  can,  there 
are  always  some  stragglers  that  never  return  to  the 

ranks. 

8 


86  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

Perhaps  you  are  ready  to  say,  "  I  thought  you 
had  something  to  tell  about  that  dog."  Well,  so  I 
have,  if  you  wait  until  I  get  back  to  him.  As  we 
used  to  say  at  school  (how  mad  it  always  made  me), 
"  will  you  have  it  now,  or  wait  till  you  get  it  ?" 

This  morning  Rover  was  taking  his  usual  exercise 
in  the  water,  when  suddenly  we  saw  him  spring  up 
ward  several  times,  barking  in  a  sharp,  unnatural 
tone.  He  made  such  a  commotion,  that  we  could 
not  at  first  divine  the  cause  of  his  alarm,  but  pre 
sently  a  long  white  object  rose  quite  near  him,  and 
a  sailor  screamed,  "A  shark  !  a  shark  !" 

The  noise  brought  the  Captain  on  deck :  he  seemed 
horror-struck  at  the  peril  of  his  favourite.  "  The 
boat,  the  boat!"  he  shouted;  "lower  the  boat;  a  hun 
dred  dollars  for  his  life  !" 

The  boat  was  lowered  instantaneously ;  the  mate 
and  four  sailors  jumped  in,  and  a  few  strokes  of  the 
oars  brought  them  to  the  scene  of  danger.  The 
men  beat  off  the  shark  with  their  oars,  and  Rover, 
almost  exhausted  by  his  efforts  to  escape,  was  taken 
into  the  boat,  when  three  hearty  cheers  rose  from 
the  deck  of  the  vessel.  Captain  Black  raised  his 
hat  as  if  he  took  it  as  a  personal  compliment,  then 
turned  away  and  went  below. 

As  soon  as  Rover  reached  the  deck,  he  rushed 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  87 

down,  wet  as  lie  was,  to  his  master ;  I  wish  I  could 
have  seen  the  meeting  between  them. 

The  dog  presently  came  up,  carrying  a  heavy  bag 
in  his  mouth,  which  he  laid  at  the  feet  of  the  mate. 
Mr.  Spencer  opened  it,  and  calling  the  four  sailors 
who  had  manned  the  boat,  counted  out  to  each  of 
them  twenty-five  dollars  in  silver.  Old  Nero,  who 
was  standing  near  me,  watched  the  proceeding  with 
great  interest,  and,  scratching  his  woolly  head,  said, 
"  Wonder  how  much  Cap'in  give  for  save  poor  nig 
ger  ?  let  shark  hab  him  for  nothin',  I  reckon." 

27th.  Oh,  that  Mrs.  Parker !  I  can  hardly  keep 
my  hands  off  her  sometimes.  You  can  form  no  idea 
of  the  thousand  petty  contrivances  she  has  to  annoy 
poor  Lucy. 

In  the  first  place,  Lucy  was  induced,  by  broad 
hints  from  Mrs.  Parker,  to  offer  a  spare  berth  in  her 
state-room  to  Sarah  and  little  Nannie.  The  conse 
quence  is,  that  she  has  to  perform  the  office  of  dress 
ing-maid  to  the  cross  little  puss,  because,  she  is  so 
perverse,  she  will  not  let  any  one  but  Lucy  touch  her. 

She  has  long  curly  hair,  too,  of  which  she  is  very 
proud,  and  so  is  her  mother.  This  has  to  be  care 
fully  dressed  the  first  thing  after  breakfast, — an  ope 
ration  which  consumes  nearly  an  hour. 

"Miss  Lucy  has  nothing  else  to  do,"  said  Mrs. 


88  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

Parker,  crossly ;  "  she  can  take  more  time  to  it  than 
I  can." 

Another  thing  I  can't  forgive  Lucy  for,  is  her 
offering  to  assist  Mrs.  Parker  with  her  sewing.  I 
was  afraid  she  couldn't  stand  the  daily  display  of  the 
overflowing  work-basket,  and  the  constant  complaints 
of  its  proprietress,  as  she  plied  the  busy  needle. 

I  warned  Lucy  of  her  danger ;  but  while  she 
thanked  me  for  the  friendly  feeling  I  evinced,  she 
said  she  thought  perhaps  it  was  her  duty  to  assist 
Mrs.  Parker. 

"I  really  have,"  said  the  dear  creature,  "  a  good 
deal  of  spare  time ;  would  it  not  be  acting  according 
to  the  golden  rule  to  employ  a  little  of  it  in  Mrs. 
Parker's  service?" 

"You  can't  give  a  little,"  said  I;  "that  is  the 
worst  of  it.  Mrs.  Parker's  plan  is  to  work  a  willing 
horse  to  death.  If  you  give  up  to  her  here,  you  are 
a  complete  slave  during  the  remainder  of  your  en 
listment." 

"It  will  be  different,  I  think,"  said  Lucy,  "when 
we  get  to  our  new  home ;  she  will  have  her  house  to 
attend  to,  and  I  shall  be  more  at  liberty." 

"It  will  be  different,  indeed,"  I  replied;  "I  will 
wager  a  month's  pay,  as  father  says,  that  she  will 
lock  you  up  in  the  school-room,  from  breakfast  until 


' 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  89 

dinner,  and  from  dinner  till  supper,  and  that  every 
morning  that  same  work-basket  will  be  sent  to  you 
filled  with  articles  which  must  be  returned  to  her  at 
night,  finished." 

"Well,  well,  it's  only  for  a  year,"  said  she,  sigh 
ing  ;  "if  it  really  should  be  as  bad  as  you  predict, 
I  could  bear  it  that  long." 

"  Lucy,  I  have  no  patience  with  you,"  said  I,  an 
grily  ;  "  you  have  not  the  spirit  of  a  flea.  Oh !  I 
only  wish  I  could  change  places  with  you  for  a  little 
while  ;  I  would  tell  the  old  tyrant,  that  as  I  was  not 
hired  either  as  a  dressing-maid  or  seamstress,  I 
should  claim  extra  pay  for  any  duties  performed  in 
either  character." 

"And  suppose,"  said  Lucy,  laughing  at  my  ear 
nestness,  "  I  should  act  by  your  advice,  and  '  brave 
the  lion  in  his  den;'  Mrs.  Parker  would  certainly 
dismiss  me,  and  what  then  would  be  my  situation  ? 
Oh !  Fanny,  your  kind  sympathy  may  help  to  lighten 
my  chain,  but  you  must  not  attempt  to  remove  it." 

"I  think  the  Colonel  wants  a  governess,"  said  I, 
mischievously;  "perhaps  he  would  engage  you." 

How  sorry  I  was  that  I  had  made  such  a  speech, 
when  I  saw  how  Lucy  was  hurt.  Colouring  violently, 
she  burst  into  tears,  and  I  had  to  tell  her  it  was  all 

fun,  and  make  ever  so  many  apologies  which  did  not 

8* 


90  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

mend  the  matter  in  the  least.  I  am  always  making 
such  mistakes ;  bad  luck  to  my  long  tongue. 

28th.  "Well,  it's  just  as  I  thought  it  would  be.  In 
an  unlucky  moment,  when  my  eye  was  off  her,  Lucy 
went  to  work  upon  one  of  those  shirt-collars,  and 
was  forthwith  installed  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  Parker 
and  Company,  with  an  equal  interest  in  .the  stock  of 
the  work-basket. 

"I  congratulate  you,  Lucy,"  said  I,  "in  having 
found  a  friend  to  take  pity  on  you,  and  furnish  you 
with  employment.  As  for  me,  I  expect  my  fingers 
will  become  ossified  for  want  of  use.  I  have  hemmed 
Mr.  Selden's  handkerchiefs  a  dozen  times  over,  until, 
by  repeatedly  cutting  off  the  hems,  I  have  made 
them  so  small,  he  says  they  will  hardly  come  up  to 
the  clerical  standard." 

29th.  Mr.  Spencer  called  to  me  this  morning,  and 
asked  me  if  I  wanted  to  see  land.  "  Look  away  out 
there,"  said  he,  "at  that  blue  streak  in  the  horizon; 
that  is  the  island  of  Johannes." 

Well,  I  could  see  the  long  blue  streak  to  be  sure, 
and  must  believe,  as  I  could  not  disprove  it,  that  it 
was  what  Mr.  Spencer  stated.  You  know  I  was 
always  rather  sceptical  on  land,  and  here  I  am 
doubly  so,  where  faith  without  sufficient  evidence  is 
so  frequently  required. 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  91 

They  point  out  to  you  a  small  white  speck,  which 
looks  like  a  bright  cloud,  and  tell  you  that  it  is  a 
sail,  or  an  iceberg ;  and  you  are  shown  a  long  black 
or  blue  streak,  which  is  sometimes  land  and  some 
times  the  back  of  a  whale.  Wasn't  it  funny,  or  as 
you  would  say,  a  remarkable  coincidence,  that  the 
first  land  I  should  see  after  leaving  home,  should  be 
that  very  island,  which  was  always  my  favourite 
residence  when  we  used  to  play  on  our  large  map  of 
the  world.  You,  always  odd  and  romantic,  chose 
that  ugly  rocky  island  on  which  poor  Bonaparte 
died,  while  I  would  establish  my  headquarters  at  the 
island  of  Johannes,  and  with  my  little  paper  boat, 
guided  by  a  pin's  point,  would  cruise  along,  up  the 
Amazon  and  its  countless  tributaries. 

July  1st.  I  was  called  on  deck  in  a  great  hurry 
this  morning,  to  see  a  whale.  My  preconceived 
ideas  of  sea-sights  must  have  been  greatly  exagge 
rated,  for  I  am  disappointed  in  everything.  Entre 
nous,  I  consider  whales  a  regular  humbug.  I  had 
imagined  our  vessel  could  glide  down  the  throat  of 
one  without  touching  bottom,  but,  after  seeing  the 
animal,  I  shall  never  again  call  it  a  monster.  Lucy 
could  not  understand,  or  forgive  my  laughing  at  the 
water-spouts ;  and  when  looking  at  the  whale,  after 
showing  by  her  changing  colour,  how  much  she 


92  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

was  interested  and  astonished,  she  turned  to  me 
saying — 

"  Surely,  Fanny,  you  must  be  satisfied  now ;  even 
you  cannot  be  disappointed  here." 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  I,  sorry  to  spoil  her  enjoyment, 
"  it  is  a  grand  sight;" — then  a  thought  struck  me, 
which  made  me  burst  out  laughing. 

"Oh!  Fanny,"  said  Lucy,  earnestly,  "you  are 
too  bad  !" 

"Indeed,"  said  I,  "I  am  not  laughing  at  the 
whale ;  I  ask  his  pardon  if  he  thinks  I  am  ;  but  such 
a  ludicrous  scene  of  my  school-days  occurred  to  me, 
that  I  could  not  help  it.  I  never  hear  the  word 
whale  without  thinking  of  it. 

"  There  was  a  simple,  good-natured  girl  who  was 
the  butt  of  the  whole  school,  and  the  fun  of  it  was, 
that  she  was  so  entirely  unconscious  of  it,  that  when 
we  were  laughing  at  one  of  her  mistakes,  she  would 
join  in  and  laugh  more  heartily  than  any  of  us. 

"We  were  playing  a  game,  which  requires  the 
girls  in  turn  to  select  a  word  which  has  two  or  more 
entirely  different  meanings.  When  it  came  to  this 
girl's  turn,  she  gave  us  without  any  hesitation,  '  Wale 
a  fish,  and  wale  a  walleyT  ' 

Don't  you  remember,  Ellen,  how  we  all  threw  our 
selves  on  the  grass,  and  rolled  over  and  over,  almost 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  93 

in  convulsions ;  while  Matty  sat  by,  highly  amused 
with  our  capers,  which  she  supposed  was  a  new  way 
of  ending  the  game  ? 

"Well,"  said  Lucy,  after  laughing  at  my  story, 
"  if  we  are  favoured  with  any  more  sea-sights,  in 
stead  of  calling  you  up,  I  will  lock  the  door  of  your 
state-room  and  keep  you  there  until  it  is  all  over. 
Did  you  ever  visit  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  Fanny?" 

"  Yes  ;  and  I  never  laughed  so  much  in  my  life. 
Don't  look  so  shocked  now,  I  am  sure  you  would 
have  laughed  yourself.  Our  party,  consisting  of 
father,  mother,  my  brothers,  and  myself,  stole  off 
from  the  dinner-table  just  as  the  dessert  came  on, 
that  we  might  have  our  first  view  of  the  Falls,  with 
out  being  incommoded  by  company. 

"  As  we  approached  the  river,  we  heard  something 
like  instrumental  music,  mingling  with  the  roar  of 
the  cascade.  'Well,'.!  said,  'I  have  heard  of  the 
music  of  the  waters,  but  I  did  not  suppose  it  was  so 
much  like  a  hand-organ.'  Just  then  we  emerged 
from  the  woods,  and  the  glorious  scene  burst  sud 
denly  upon  us,  and  at  the  same  moment  another 
sight  met  our  eyes,  for  which  we  were  totally  unpre 
pared.  On  the  very  verge  of  the  bank,  stood  a  man 
with  an  organ,  grinding  away  at  Home,  Sweet  Home. 
A  little  monkey,  dressed  as  a  soldier,  was  dancing  to 
the  music,  and  when  we  appeared,  it  ran  towards  us, 


94  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

holding  out  its  hat  for  pennies.  I  turned  my  back 
to  the  Falls  and  laughed  with  all  my  might,  and  so 
did  Ned ;  but  I  never  saw  father  so  angry  in  my 
life.  He  threw  a  dollar  to  the  man,  and  said,  '  Stop 
your  grinding !  shut  up  that  infernal  thing,  and  be 
out  of  sight  this  instant  !' 

"  He  raised  his  cane  as  he  spoke,  and  the  man, 
picking  up  the  money  and  the  monkey,  made  off  in 
double-quick  time." 

2d.  About  12  o'clock  to-day  Mrs.  Parker  came 
up  from  below,  where  she  had  been  occupied  for 
some  time;  and  on  calling  the  roll,  as  she  appears  to 
do  mentally  after  every  short  absence,  the  hopeful 
Sam  was  not  visible. 

"Jake,  where's  Sam?" 

"Don't  know,  missus;  I  sees  him  bit  ago,  straddlin' 
over  de  railin',  fixin'  he  fishin'  line." 

"He's  gone!  he's  gone!"  cried  the  mother  in  most 
pathetic  tones,  clasping  her  hands  and  running  fran 
tically  about  the  deck. 

"  Where's  Mr.  Parker  ?  Where's  the  Captain  ? 
Oh  !  men,  lower  the  boat — save  my  poor  child  !" 

The  gentlemen  were  all  on  the  spot  in  a  moment. 

"  Oh,  Colonel !  Oh,  Captain  !"  shrieked  the  mo 
ther,  "  my  boy — my  boy — can't  you  save  him  ? 
Captain,  drag  the  ocean;  find  at  least  his  cold 
corpse." 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  95 

"Be  calm,  madam,"  said  the  Colonel,  "it  is  not 
at  all  certain  that  he  has  fallen  overboard ;  he  may 
have  secreted  himself  as  a  joke." 

I  never  saw  such  a  sudden  change  in  any  one,  as 
in  Mrs.  Parker.  I  imagine  former  experience  whis 
pered  that  the  Colonel  had  hit  upon  the  true  solution 
of  the  mystery.  The  pale  cheek  turned  to  an  angry 
red,  and  the  touching  tones  of  maternal  solicitude 
changed  to  the  sharp,  harsh  voice  more  natural  to 
her,  as,  shaking  her  fist  at  the  invisible  delinquent, 
she  cried,  "  Let  me  only  catch  him  !  I'll  make  him 
smart  for  it — to  dare  to  play  his  jokes  on  me  !  Mr. 
Parker,  I  beg  you'll  have  the  ship  searched  in 
stantly." 

Just  then  Nero's  woolly  topknot  appeared  above 
the  level  of  the  deck. 

"Nero,"  said  Captain  Parker,  "have  you  seen  my 
boy  Sam  ?" 

"  Yes,  massa.  He  !  he  !  he  !  Him  hidin'  in  de 
big  dinner-pot.  Him  say  he  want  to  scare  he 
mammy.  He  !  he  !  he !" 

Down  went  the  Captain,  and  soon  returned, 
dragging  his  reluctant  son  by  the  collar.  He 
hauled  him  to  his  mother,  as  judge  and  jury  in  all 
such  cases.  Mrs.  Parker  turned  her  back  on  the 
criminal,  and  addressed  the  mate.  "Mr.  Spencer, 


96  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

you  understand  the  art  of  flogging,  I  presume.  You 
will  do  me  a  favour,  a  great  favour,  if  you  Avill  take 
that  boy  and  give  him  a  sound  whipping.  Don't  be 
afraid;  his  skin  is  tough, — you  can't  hurt  him." 

The  mate,  bowing  acquiescence,  took  Sam's  hand, 
and  disappeared  with  him.  Apparently  he  lost  no 
time,  for  in  a  few  minutes  our  ears  were  assailed  by 
the  loudest  yells  that  surely  ever  issued  from  a  white 
man's  throat.  Mrs.  Parker  started,  and  ran  towards 
the  gangway,  screaming,  "He'll  kill  the  boy!  Stop 
him  ! — He'll  kill  the  boy  !  Mr.  Spencer  ! — Mr. 
Spencer  !" 

"Yes,  ma'am — coming,  ma'am,"  replied  the  mate, 
making  his  appearance,  with  the  blubbering  boy  at 
his  heels,  holding  a  handkerchief  to  his  face. 

"If  you  have  hurt  him,  Mr.  Spencer,"  said  Mrs. 
Parker,  looking  daggers  at  the  mate,  "you  shall  pay 
for  it.  Come  here,  my  child ;  come  down  with  me, 
and  let  me  see  your  poor  shoulders." 

Sam  followed  slowly,  and  the  father  brought  up 
the  rear,  a  little  anxious  to  see  what  mischief  had 
been  done. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Spencer,"  said  I,  "  don't  you  tremble 
for  the  result  of  the  examination  ?" 

"  Not  a  bit ;  the  old  cat  will  find  no  marks  but 
those  her  own  claws  have  made." 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  97 

"But  what  was  that  awful  squalling  for?  Do  tell 
us." 

"  Well,  you  see  I  didn't  fancy  having  the  office  of 
executioner  thrust  upon  me  in  that  style ;  so,  when 
we  got  below,  I  said  to  the  boy,  'Sam,  instead  of 
thrashing  you,  I'll  flog  this  post,  and  you  must  stand 
by  and  scream  with  all  your  might,  to  make  the  old 
woman  think  you're  getting  it  pretty  heavy.' 

"  We  both  went  to  work  in  earnest,  but  the  fellow 
overacted  his  part,  and  I  suppose  made  you  all 
think  there  was  murder  going  on." 

Just  as  he  finished  speaking,  Captain  Parker 
came  up. 

"Well,  Spencer,"  said  he,  "you're  an  odd  genius. 
I'm  right  glad,  though,  you  didn't  flog  Sam.  I 
wonder  if  there's  a  boy  living  that  won't  play  such 
tricks  sometimes.  I  know  I  was  full  of  them  in  my 
young  days.  Many  a  time  have  I  limped  into  the 
kitchen,  where  my  mother  was  at  work,  crying  out 
that  I  had  nearly  chopped  off  my  toe  with  the  axe, 
and  sitting  on  the  floor,  holding  my  foot  in  my  hands 
in  apparent  agony,  until  the  dear  soul  would  search 
her  drawers  for  lint,  salve,  and  bandage ;  and  then, 
when  I  saw  her  coming  to  examine  the  wound,  up  I 
would  jump,  and  run  off  laughing. 

"  My  good  mother  always  excused  my  frolics,  as 
9 


98  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

she  called  them,  when  they  reached  my  father's  ears, 
by  the  convenient  axioms — (how  I  used  to  bless  the 
inventors  of  them) — 'Boys  will  be  boys,'  and  'You 
can't  find  an  old  head  on  young  shoulders.'  Poor 
soul !  she  wasn't  like — " 

I  am  afraid  the  Captain  was  about  to  commit  him 
self;  but  he  was  interrupted,  just  in  time,  by  cries 
from  below,  which  made  him  stamp  his  foot  and  walk 
away  to  the  farthest  end  of  the  vessel.  Sam  was 
getting  it  now,  sure  enough.  When  we  met  Mrs. 
Parker,  at  dinner,  she  was  as  stately  as  a  duchess. 
She  never  turned  her  eyes  toward  our  end  of  the  table 
at  all ;  and  when  Mr.  Spencer  offered  her  some  meat 
he  was  carving,  she  made  him  no  reply. 

4th.  We  celebrated  our  national  jubilee  in  hand 
some  style.  The  men  had  a  holiday,  and  were 
dressed  in  their  Sunday  clothes.  At  nine  o'clock 
our  beautiful  star-spangled  banner  was  hoisted  and 
a  salute  fired,  after  which  Colonel  Howard  read  the 
"Declaration  of  Independence,"  and  Mr.  Selden 
made  a  very  excellent  oration. 

We  had  a  better  dinner  than  usual,  and  sat  a  long 
time  at  the  table,  drinking  toasts  and  healths  and 
making  speeches.  It  was  all  in  earnest  at  first,  like 
a  real  Fourth  of  July  celebration ;  but  as  is  generally 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  99 

the  case  where  I  have  any  hand  in  the  matter,  we 
got  to  making  all  kinds  of  funny  toasts  and  speeches. 

Captain  Black  had  left  the  table  early,  making 
some  excuse,  and  Mrs.  Parker  followed,  without  any 
apology ;  so  that  we  had  not  one  to  spoil  our  fun. 
We  had  such  a  pleasant  day,  that  I  could  not  help 
wishing,  as  the  children  do  after  a  merry  Christmas, 
that  the  Fourth  of  July  would  come  every  week. 

5th.  Mrs.  Howard  is  the  most  industrious  knitter 
I  ever  knew.  She  can  even  read  and  knit  at  the 
same  time,  so  that  in  truth  her  needles  are  seldom 
at  rest  except  at  meal-times.  I  did  not  fear  to 
offend  her  by  asking  if  she  furnished  stockings  for 
the  regiment. 

"Yes,  Fanny,  I  do,"  said  she,  "that  is,  for  most 
of  the  children  of  the  regiment.  When  I  see  a  sol 
dier's  wife  with  three  or  four  little  children  about 
her,  I  know  well  that  she  has  not  the  means  of  pro 
curing  suitable  covering  for  so  many  little  feet.  It 
is  a  great  pleasure  to  help  those  who  are  doing  all 
in  their  power  to  help  themselves.  I  always  feel  a 
great  degree  of  interest  in  the  camp  women ;  they 
are  a  hard-working,  much-enduring,  much-despised 
class.  I  have  witnessed  among  them,  too,  more  de 
voted  affection  to  husbands  and  children,  than  I  ever 
saw  in  any  other  station  in  life. 


100       THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"When  a  drunken  soldier  is  sent  to  the  guard-house, 
however  unkind  he  may  be  at  home,  his  wife  will  go 
in  tears  to  the  commandant  to  beg  for  his  release ; 
and  if  she  cannot  obtain  that,  she  will  expend  her 
last  hardly-earned  money  in  furnishing  him  secretly 
with  a  little  tobacco,  or  some  nice  eatables,  to  cheer 
his  imprisonment." 

Mrs.  Howard  has  kindly  given  Harriet  a  supply 
of  yarn,  which  she  is  working  up  into  socks  for  that 
scamp,  Frederick.  I  can't  endure  the  man;  some 
times,  when  Harriet  is  in  very  good  spirits,  I  abuse 
Frederick  until  she  gets  really  angry,  just  for  the 
fun  of  hearing  her  arguments  in  his  favour. 

One  day  I  said  to  her,  "  Three  months  is  a  long 
time  for  man's  constancy  to  endure;  I  should  not 
wonder  at  all,  now,  if  on  our  arrival,  you  should 
find  Frederick  provided  with  one  of  those  Spanish 
beauties  for  a  wife ;  what  would  you  do  then  ?" 

"Miss  Fanny,"  said  she,  taking  me  seriously,  "if 
such  a  thing  should  happen,  I  would  throw  my 
self"— 

"Into  the  first  homeward-bound  vessel,"  said  I, 
interrupting  her. 

"  No,  into  the  sea,  the  cold  sea ;  that  is  the  only 
place  deep  enough,  and  dark  enough,  for  shame  and 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  101 

misery  such  as  mine  would  be."  Then  she  had  to 
cry,  of  course  ;  and  I  looked  and  felt  like  a  goose. 

I  wish  I  could  avoid  provoking  such  scenes,  but  I 
can't,  for  my  life.  I  catch  a  glimpse  of  fun  in  the 
distance,  and  with  my  eye  fixed  on  it,  go  stumbling 
along,  through  bog  and  brier,  until  the  vision  disap 
pears  like  the  mirage  of  the  desert. 

6th.  I  have  not,  until  to-day,  been  able  to  ac 
complish  my  design  of  visiting  Nero's  domains. 
Wandering  about  the  deck,  solitary  and  alone,  I 
happened  to  encounter  Sam  Parker,  employed  like 
myself.  As  he  is  always  associated  in  my  mind  with 
the  big  dinner-pot,  the  thought  struck  me  at  once 
that  he  could  act  as  a  guide  in  the  perilous  descent 
to  the  black  hole. 

"Sam,"  said  I,  "do  you  know  the  way  to  the 
kitchen?" 

"  Oh  !  yes,  ma'am,"  looking  a  little  foolish. 

"  Well,  I  want  you  to  lead  me  down  there."  He 
brightened  up  at  the  proposition,  then  shaking  his 
head,  said  doubtfully, 

"I  don't  know,  Miss  Fanny — you'll  not  find  it 
easy,  I  tell  you;  it's  so  powerful  dark,  I  almost  broke 
my  shins  over  a  coil  of  rope  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder, 
and  then  you  have  to  walk  down  a  slanting  plank, 

9* 


102 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 


that's  as  slippery  as  ice.  I  fell  flat  on  my  back  when 
I  stepped  on  it,  and  slid  clear  down  to  the  bottom." 

"Oh!  that's  fine,"  said  I;  "the  more  difficulties 
the  better — I'm  determined  to  try  it.  Let's  get  out 
of  sight  before  Mr.  Spencer  comes  up  from  the 
cabin." 

Down  went  Sam,  I  following  close  at  his  heels. 
It  was  monstrously  dark,  and  I  had  to  go  so  slowly, 
feeling  my  way  every  step,  that  I  soon  lost  sight  of 
my  guide. 

"  Sam,  where  are  you  ?"  said  I ;  "  don't  you  go  to 
playing  any  tricks  on  me,  or  I'll  give  you  over  to 
Mr.  Spencer."  I  heard  his  hearty  laugh  a  few  feet 
below  me. 

"  Oh !  no,  Miss  Fanny  ;  I  was  trying  to  fix  two 
or  three  steps  here  that  have  given  way.  I  can't 
manage  it,  however ;  you'll  have  to  go  back  or  catch 
hold  of  this  rope,  and  slide  down  about  six  feet;  that 
will  bring  you  to  the  inclined  plane  I  told  you  of." 

"  I'll  never  turn  back ;  you  might  as  soon  expect 
General  Taylor  to  surrender.  I'll  go  down  if  any 
body  can ;  and  if  I  can't  get  back  again,  I'll  take  up 
my  quarters  in  the  big  dinner-pot ;  I  dare  say  it 
will  be  as  comfortable  as  the  tub  of  Diogenes." 

I  seized  the  rope  as  soon  as  I  could  find  it,  and, 
sliding  down  with  more  impetus  than  I  intended, 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  103 

landed  on  the  board  below,  with  a  shock  which  made 
mo  breathless  for  some  seconds. 

"Now,  Miss  Fanny,"  said  Sam,  "you  needn't 
expect  to  walk  down  this  board,  for  I  tell  you  it's 
an  impossibility.  I'll  sit  down  on  my  feet,  and  if 
you'll  sit  behind  me  in  the  same  manner,  and  hold 
fast  to  my  jacket,  down  we'll  shoot  like  a  sky-rocket, 
— only  that  goes  up." 

"  I'm  agreeable,"  said  I ;  "  you  sit  still  until  I  get 
fixed,  and  when  I  give  the  word,  then  start." 

Will  your  sensibilities  be  greatly  shocked,  dear 
Ellen,  at  the  idea  of  your  chosen  friend  in  such  a 
situation  ?  I  fear  so,  but  it  can't  be  helped.  I 
might  have  concealed  the  fact,  but  I  scorn  to  give  a 
half  confidence  where  I  have  promised  all. 

"  Go  !"  I  cried;  and  away  we  went  with  railroad 
speed.  I  had  no  idea  it  was  such  a  long  journey. 
The  soles  of  my  slippers  became  quite  hot  with  the 
friction.  The  top  of  the  plane  was  almost  in  total 
darkness ;  but  as  we  neared  the  foot,  a  light  was 
visible,  and  we  soon  found  ourselves  safely  anchored, 
close  to  Nero's  huge  stove. 

"  My  star  !  my  star  !"  said  old  woolly -head,  look 
ing  around  at  the  unusual  noise,  "  what  comin'  here  ! 
eh,  Massa  Sam,  you  here  gin  ?  Take  care  mammy  dis 


104  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

time.  Oh  !  Missy  Fanny,  dat  you  ?  tought  you  was 
an  angel,  so  white  and  pretty." 

"  Maybe  so,  Nero ;  but  I  do  wish  you  would  give 
us  a  little  more  light  in  honour  of  my  arrival ;  I  can 
not  tell  which  is  you,  and  which  is  the  stove." 

"He,  he,  he!"  said  the  old  man — ,"  I  got  nice 
candle  here,  I  light  when  Massa  Spencer  come  down 
for  'spect  a  kitching." 

When  the  light  was  brought,  I  seated  myself  on  a 
keg,  which  was  the  only  thing  in  shape  of  a  seat  that 
I  could  discover.  The  oddly  shaped  room  was  not 
much  larger  than  the  kitchen  of  a  canal-boat.  All 
around  the  floor,  close  to  the  wall,  I  don't  know  what 
else  to  call  it,  were  ranged  chests,  barrels,  and  boxes, 
containing  groceries  and  other  provisions,  leaving 
only  a  narrow  pathway  between  them  and  the  stove, 
which  occupied  the  centre.  A  table  stood  in  front 
of  the  stove,  at  which  Nero  was  washing  dishes.  All 
around  the  walls  were  suspended  brass  and  tin  pots, 
and  cooking  utensils  of  every  kind,  that  were  as 
bright  as  sand  could  make  them. 

"Why,  Nero,"  said  I,  "you  have  everything  in 
fine  order;  I  don't  know  how  you  can  keep  those 
brasses  and  tins  so  bright,  when  you  have  to  use  them 
every  day." 

"  Oh !  Missy,  nebber  use  'em,  pity  for  spile  'em ; 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  105 

got  black  pots  for  use,  like  nigger  face,  not  show 
dirt." 

So  saying,  he  opened  a  closet,  and  revealed  a  col 
lection  of  iron  utensils  of  all  sorts  and  sizes. 

"  But  I  hope  you  keep  them  clean  too,"  said  I,  a 
little  dubiously. 

"  Oh  !  yes,  Missy,  Massa  Spencer  berry  ticklar ; 
come  down  every  day  say,  'Wipe  out  your  pots,  Nero, 
and  bring  me  dishcloth ;'  so  I  takes  down  dis  white 
cloth,  you  sees  hangin'  up  dere,  and  I  puts  it  in  de 
pots,  and  I  shows  it  to  Massa  Spencer  all  clean.  He 
say,  '  Berry  well,  you  fine  fellow,  Nero  ;  here  baccy 
for  you.' 

"  And  that  is  your  dishcloth,  is  it  ?  Well,  it  is 
the  whitest  I  ever  saw ;  let  me  have  it  and  I  will  put 
lace  all  around  it,  and  mark  your  name  on  it." 

Much  flattered,  the  old  man  took  down  the  cloth, 
folded  it  carefully,  and  handed  it  to  me  with  a  grace 
ful  bow.  "Now,  Sam,"  said  I,  "we  shall  be  missed 
if  we  stay  much  longer,  and  I  am  dreadfully  afraid 
of  Mr.  Spencer's  finding  us  out. 

"Nero,  I  wish  you  had  an  easier  road  to  your 
house ;  I  would  like  to  visit  you  oftener,  but  it  took 
me  so  long  to  get  down  here,  that  in  what  manner  I 
am  to  get  back,  unless  I  could  fly,  I  am  sure  I 
cannot  tell." 


106       THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"  Oh !  Missy,  you  come  a  wrong  way,  Massa  Sam 
know  berry  well ;  he  funny  like  yousef ;  he  play  you 
trick.  Nero  road  all  plain  sailin'." 

I  picked  up  a  poker  to  run  after  Sam,  but  changing 
my  mind,  I  called  to  him,  "  Here,  Sam,  you  rogue,  I 
forgive  you,  with  all  my  heart ;  for  I  wouldn't  have 
lost  the  fun  of  sliding  down  that  inclined  plane,  upon 
any  consideration.  It's  the  only  adventure  I'm 
likely  to  have  on  this  voyage." 

Under  Nero's  guidance,  I  soon  reached  the  deck, 
and,  repairing  to  the  sitting-room,  amused  our  friends 
greatly  by  a  description  of  my  voyage  of  discovery. 
Mr.  Spencer  joined  us  presently,  having  evidently 
just  come  up  from  the  cabin. 

"Here,"  said  I,  producing  the  towel,  "tell  me 
what  this  is." 

"Indeed  I  can't,"  said  he,  examining  it  carefully. 
"I  don't  know  that  I  have  ever  seen  it  before." 

"Yes,  you  have,  but  not  in  as  fair  hands,  cer 
tainly.  It  is  the  cloth  that  friend  Nero  shakes  at 
the  pots,  and  presents  to  your  inspection  on  your 
daily  visits.  I  knew  you  would  not  believe  I  had 
actually  been  in  his  kitchen,  so  I  brought  away 
this  trophy  to  convince  you.  I  am  going  to  expend 
much  time  and  taste  in  beautifying  it,  and  then  re 
turn  it  to  its  place,  where  it  will  be  as  a  memento  of 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  107 

me  every  time  you  look  at  it.  I  wish  you  would  let 
me  accompany  you,  Mr.  Spencer,  in  your  visits  of 
inspection.  I  am  sure  I  should  learn  a  great  deal 
from  you  in  the  matter  of  housekeeping,  and  from 
Nero  in  cookery.  When  I  get  a  house,  though,  I 
shall  not  take  the  trouble  you  do.  I'll  just  have  the 
dishcloth  brought  up  to  the  drawing-room  every 
morning,  and  a  glance  at  it  will  tell  me  the  state  of 
affairs  in  the  kitchen.  It's  a  capital  hint,  that  I 
shall  not  fail  to  act  on." 

Poor  Mr.  Spencer  looked  prodigiously  annoyed, 
and  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  himself,  until  for 
tunately  spying  a  sail,  where  I  am  sure  there  was 
none  visible,  he  ran  below  for  the  spyglass. 

July  8th.  We  are  in  sight  of  Rio  Janeiro.  In  a 
few  hours  we  shall  anchor  off  the  town.  Already 
the  soft  west  wind  regales  us  with  the  fragrance  of 
the  orange-flower.  What  a  paradise  it  would  be, 
were  it  not  for  the  snakes.  How  I  hate  the  ugly 
things !  I  know  all  the  pleasure  I  might  enjoy  in 
viewing  the  natural  beauties  of  the  place  will  be 
entirely  destroyed  by  the  constant  fear  of  encounter 
ing  one  of  these  reptiles.  When  father  was  stationed 
at  Fort  Mackinaw,  although  I  was  a  little  thing  of 
only  four  years  old,  I  well  recollect  how  I  used  to 
run  and  scream  at  the  sight  of  one  of  the  dear  little 


108  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

grass-green  snakes  with  which  the  island  abounds. 
They  are  perfectly  harmless ;  indeed  it  is  said  there 
are  no  venomous  serpents  or  insects  on  that  island, 
although  the  surrounding  country  is  much  infested 
with  them. 

I  am  ahout  to  lock  my  escritoire,  as  Lucy  is 
hurrying  me  to  come  on  deck  and  enjoy  the  ap 
proach  to  the  city.  She  says  the  hay  is  filled  with 
vessels,  displaying  the  flags  of  every  nation. 

"Only  think,  Fanny,"  said  the  dear  enthusiast, 
"  the  first  flag  I  saw  was  our  own  glorious  banner, 
and  close  to  it,  almost  enveloped  in  its  folds,  was  the 
flag  of  the  new  republic  of  Liberia." 

I  may  not  reopen  my  journal  until  we  are  again 
on  the  ocean;  it  will  depend  on  my  employments 
and  feelings  while  on  land. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

At  Sea  again — Fanny  had  been  111,  and  saw  Little  of  the  City — 
Lucy  and  Colonel  Howard — Astounding  Discovery  of  Harriet's 
Father — Account  of  his  Escape  and  Subsequent  History. 

JULY  12th.  At  sea  once  more,  and  out  of  sight  of 
land.  Now  tell  me,  you  say,  your  impressions  of 
Rio  Janeiro.  I  will,  faithfully. 

We  landed  after  dark,  and  were  put  into  queer 
carriages,  large  enough  to  hold  two  persons,  and 
carried  on  the  shoulders  of  four  stout  negroes.  We 
were  taken  up  a  long  street,  badly  lighted,  namely, 
by  lamps  in  the  shop  windows,  and  badly  paved, 
I  should  suppose,  from  the  unequal  gait  of  our 
carriers. 

At  last  we  stopped  at  a  hotel  kept  by  a  Yankee — 
actually  by  a  Yankee — who  shook  hands  warmly 
with  each  one,  saying,  "Well,  how  d'ye  do?  I'm 
mighty  glad  to  see  folks  from  hum." 

He  has  made  a  great   mistake,  though,  in   not 

getting  an  American  wife.     He  said  he  came  out 

10 


110  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"just  to  look  about  him  a  little,  and  lie  made  money 
so  shocking  fast  that  he  never  could  find  time  to 
go  hum  for  a  wife;"  so  he  married  a  pretty  little 
Spanish  woman,  whom  he  has  been  trying  for  five 
years  to  drill  into  his  Yankee  ways,  without  much 
effect,  as  he  himself  acknowledges.  The  consequence 
is,  that  the  establishment  presents  an  odd  mixture  of 
American  comforts  and  customs  with  manners  and 
fashions  peculiar  to  the  Spanish. 

"We  had  a  fine  supper,  but  I  was  too  much  fatigued 
to  eat  anything,  and  immediately  retired  to  a  com 
fortable  chamber,  which  I  was  to  share  with  Lucy, 
Mrs.  Howard  and  Harriet  occupying  one  adjoining 
ours.  I  had  a  restless  night,  and  towards  morning 
a  severe  headache  and  fever  came  on.  Mrs.  Howard 
was  quite  alarmed  when  Lucy  called  her,  and  imme 
diately  sent  for  father.  He  asked  if  we  had  slept 
with  our  windows  open.  We  had  to  confess  that 
such  was  the  fact. 

"Well,"  said  father,  "we  have  the  prospect  of  a 
right  pretty  case  of  country  fever.  If  you  had  read 
my  book,  Fan,  that  you  despise  so  much,  you  might 
have  been  spared  this  attack.  There  is  nothing 
worse  for  a  stranger  than  to  sleep  in  the  night  air  of 
this  climate.  I  wonder  that  you,  Miss  Meecham, 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  Ill 

did  not  recollect  this  fact;  you  must  have  met 
with  it." 

"She  did,  father,"  said  I,  for  I  saw  Lucy  was  not 
going  to  speak.  "  She  reminded  me  of  it,  and  begged 
me  not  to  run  the  risk ;  but  I  said  I  would  rather  be 
roasted  with  the  fever  than  with  the  hot  air  of  the 
chamber,  so  she  let  me  have  my  own  way.  I  am 
glad  I  shall  be  the  only  sufferer." 

"I  hope  it  may  be  so,"  said  father,  shaking  his 
head  doubtfully.  Father  has  such  an  ugly  way  of 
shaking  his  head — all  doctors  have,  I  believe ;  it 
makes  me  so  nervous  when  I'm  sick — it  seems  to 
say,  "  If  you  only  knew  what  I  know." 

Don't  you  like  calomel  and  jalap,  and  castor-oil 
and  blister  plasters?  I  will  spare  you  the  particu 
lars  ;  your  own  experience  can  furnish  a  parallel. 
For  three  days  I  kept  my  bed,  not  dangerously  ill, 
but  too  weak  to  sit  up.  Mrs.  Howard  and  Harriet 
never  left  me,  although  I  begged  Mrs.  Howard  to 
accompany  Lucy  and  the  gentlemen  in  their  sight 
seeing  excursions.  Lucy  came  in  from  her  walks 
and  rides  looking  so  animated  and  happy  that  I 
almost  envied  her,  but  she  always  tried  so  sweetly  to 
amuse  and  interest  me  with  her  account  of  their 
adventures,  that  I  could  not  grumble.  She  spoke 
so  much  one  day  of  what  Mr.  Selden  said,  and  what 


112  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

Mr.  Selden  did,  that  I  said  to  her,  "  Lucy,  I  don't 
half  like  your  making  so  much  of  Mr.  Selden.  You 
may  do  what  you  please  with  the  Colonel ;  he  don't 
suit  me,  he's  too  lofty  and  romantic,  and  all  that,  but 
Mr.  Selden  I  have  appropriated  to  myself  until  the 
end  of  the  voyage ;  so  if  you  please,  just  let  the 
poor  man  alone  until  I  get  about  again." 

I  knew  it  was  all  a  ruse  (only  think  of  Lucy's 
being  guilty  of  such  a  thing !) ;  for  I  said  to  father 
one  day,  just  on  purpose  to  find  out,  "I  hope  you 
take  good  care  of  Lucy,  father." 

"Indeed,"  he  replied,  "I  scarcely  see  her  after 
we  leave  the  house  in  company ;  Howard  takes  that 
office  on  himself  entirely.  He  marches  off  with  Miss 
Meecham  under  his  arm,  leaving  Selden  and  myself 
to  follow  or  not  as  we  choose." 

"  Did  you  hear  that  ?"  said  I,  to  Mrs.  Howard,  as 
father  left  the  room. 

"  Yes,  Fanny,  and  I  am  not  jealous  at  William's 
forgetting  me  for  awhile  in  such  company.  Sweet 
girl,"  she  added,  while  her  eyes  filled  with  tears,  "I 
only  hope  he  may  induce  her  to  become  a  life-mem 
ber  of  our  little  family.  I  never  had  a  daughter, 
Fanny,  and  although  William  has  ever  been  to  me 
all  that  the  most  loving  son  could  be,  yet  I  have  a 
longing  desire,  such  as  you  cannot  understand  at 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  113 

your  age,  to  be  called  mother  by  such  an  artless, 
lovely,  and  pious  woman,  as  I  believe  Lucy  to  be. 
Even  now,  in  our  daily  intercourse,  as  you  have 
often  noticed,  in  addressing  her  I  unconsciously  call 
her  my  daughter,  bringing  up  the  ready  blush  to  her 
cheek,  as  she  sees  the  merry  smile  on  yours,  Fanny." 

On  the  third  afternoon  of  our  stay  in  Rio  Janeiro, 
I  was  lying  half  asleep,  half  listening  to  Harriet, 
who  was  reading  a  dull  novel  for  my  entertainment ; 
Mrs.  Howard,  who  was  sitting  by  the  open  window, 
with  her  knitting,  suddenly  sprang  up,  and  leaning 
far  out,  to  attract  the  attention  of  some  person  pass 
ing,  cried  out  in  a  loud  voice,  "  Stop,  stop !  oh,  stop  !" 
Then  running  to  the  door,  she  said,  "  Keep  Harriet 
with  you,"  and  rushed  down  stairs. 

"Well,"  said  I,  "Harriet,  you  may  shut  the  book 
now,  for  I  can  think  of  nothing  else  until  Mrs. 
Howard  returns.  What  could  have  taken  her  off 
in  such  a  hurry  ?  Dear  me  !  I  shall  worry  myself 
into  a  fever,  if  she  does  not  come  back  soon.  Just 
run  down,  Harriet,  that's  a  good  girl,  and  see  if  you 
can  find  out  anything." 

"  Oh  no,  Miss  Fanny ;  didn't  you  hear  Mrs. 
Howard  say  I  must  stay  with  you?" 

"  Well,  then,  I  shall  put  on  my  shoes  and  wrapper 

and  go  down  myself." 

10* 


114  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"  Indeed  you  shall  not,"  said  Harriet,  with  one  of 
her  pretty  smiles,  "  for  I'll  lock  the  door  and  put 
the  key  in  my  pocket." 

Well,  nothing  was  to  be  done  but  to  endure  it, 
and  endure  it  I  did  for  three  or  four  hours.  Lucy 
came  in  from  her  walk  near  sundown,  and  I  asked 
her  if  she  had  seen  Mrs.  Howard.  She  said  no,  but 
a  waiter  had  met  Colonel  Howard  at  the  door,  and 
told  him  his  mother  wished  to  speak  with  him  in  the 
ladies'  parlour. 

"Poor  Colonel,"  said  I,  "I'm  so  sorry  for  him; 
I  suspect  the  old  lady  is  taking  him  to  task  for  his 
neglect  of  her  lately.  I  hope  he  won't  get  such  a 
whipping  as  Sam  Parker  did.  It  wasn't  all  his  fault 
either,  poor  fellow ;  I  know  who  ought  to  take  a  share 
of  it." 

Lucy  was  busy  washing  her  face  and  fixing  her 
hair,  and  so  pretended  not  to  hear,  but  I  could  see 
that  she  was  smiling  and  blushing  in  spite  of  herself. 

Another  hour  passed,  and  then  a  waiter  knocked 
at  the  door  and  said  Mrs.  Howard  wanted  to  see 
Harriet  in  the  parlour.  Harriet ! — well  that  was  too 
queer ;  if  it  had  been  Lucy,  now,  I  should  have  been 
sure  that  I  could  guess  what  was  the  mystery.  Har 
riet  had  not  been  absent  more  than  half  an  hour, 
when  we  heard  her  foot  in  the  hall,  and  throwing 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  115 

open  the  door,  she  rushed  in  exclaiming,  "My  father  ! 
I  have  found  my  father  !"  then  falling  on  her  knees 
at  my  bedside,  and  covering  her  face  with  her  hands, 
she  burst  into  a  kind  of  hysteric  fit,  laughing  and 
crying  by  turns.  Poor  girl !  I  hardly  knew  what  to 
say.  Had  I  never  known  O'Connor's  fearful  story, 
I  should  have  congratulated  her  heartily  on  her  good 
fortune,  but,  with  that  fresh  in  my  memory,  I  could 
only  say  mentally,  "  Better,  far  better,  if  he  had 
been  lost  to  you  for  ever." 

Mrs.  Howard  came  in  presently,  and,  taking  Har 
riet's  arm  gently  raised  her,  saying  tenderly,  "  This 
unexpected  happiness,  dear  child,  has  overcome  you. 
You  must  let  me  send  you  directly  to  bed ;  after  a 
night's  rest  we  can  talk  it  over  calmly."  Harriet 
said  she  had  been  acting  foolishly  she  knew,  begged 
Mrs.  Howard's  pardon,  and  retired  to  her  chamber. 

"  Now,  dear  Mrs.  Howard,"  said  I,  coaxingly. 
She  understood  me,  and  drawing  a  chair  to  my  bed 
side,  while  Lucy  seated  herself  on  a  low  stool  at  her 
feet,  Mrs.  Howard  commenced  her  narration. 

"  As  I  was  sitting  at  the  window,  watching  the 
strange  costumes  of  the  passers-by,  my  attention  was 
attracted  by  a  man  in  the  dress  of  an  American, 
whose  carriage  convinced  me  he  had  once  been  a 
soldier.  You  know  there  is  a  certain  indescribable 


116  THE  ROMANCE  OP  THE  OCEAN. 

air,  or  gait,  acquired  by  a  person  who  has  been  a  few 
years  in  the  army,  that  can  never  be  unlearned,  and 
is  at  once  recognised  by  an  old  soldier,  such  as  I 
consider  myself  to  be.  I  watched  him  as  he  slowly 
approached  with  his  hands  under  the  skirt  of  his 
coat,  and  his  eyes  bent  on  the  ground.  When  nearly 
opposite  my  window  he  raised  his  head  and  looked 
over  at  the  hotel ;  I  instantly  recognised  the  wretched 
O'Connor.  Involuntarily  I  called  to  him,  as  you 
recollect,  then  ran  down  and  found  him  at  the  door. 
'  O'Connor,'  said  I,  '  do  you  remember  me  ?'  '  Yes, 
ma'am,'  said  he,  much  agitated,  1 1  have  good  cause ; 
you  were  kind  to  Tier ;  you  are  Lieutenant  Howard's 
mother.'  I  told  him  to  come  in,  that  I  had  much  to 
say  to  him.  I  took  him  to  the  parlour,  and  locked 
the  door,  fearful  that  Harriet  might  come  in  unex 
pectedly. 

"  'Now,'  said  I,  '  if  you  have  no  objection,  I  should 
like  first  to  hear  your  history  from  the  time  of  your 
escape.  My  son,  Colonel  Howard,  is  absent  at  pre 
sent  ;  we  are  on  our  way  to  California,  to  join  his 
regiment.' 

"'Madam,'  said  O'Connor,  'you  shall  hear  all, 
and  thankful  am  I  for  the  privilege  of  relating  to 
one,  who  can  feel  for  me  as  I  am  sure  you  will,  the 
secrets  which  have  lain  concealed  so  many  years, 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  117 

like  burning  coals  in  my  bosom.  I  have  watched 
with  indescribable  emotion  every  vessel  that  carried 
our  country's  flag,  as  it  came  into  the  harbour ;  but 
when  it  had  arrived,  and  was  at  anchor,  I  dare  not 
go  near  it.  I  have  often  gone  to  the  post-office  and 
inquired  if  there  were  a  letter  for  O'Connor,  with  a 
strange  inconsistency,  hoping  and  expecting  to  be 
sought  out  and  discovered,  in  the  place  where  I  had 
buried  myself,  to  escape  detection.  Every  day  I 
pass  this  house  because  it  bears  an  American  name, 
and  my  searching  glance  scans  every  face  that  wears 
the  lineaments  of  my  native  land. 

"  '  But  never  have  I  met  even  the  friendly  smile 
that  acknowledges  me  as  a  countryman ;  and,  until 
to-day,  it  has  been  twelve  long  miserable  years  since 
I  have  heard  the  tone  of  sympathy  or  kindness,  save 
in  a  foreign  tongue. 

"  '  But  I  am  forgetting  myself.  I  must  go  back 
to  my  imprisonment ;  I  can  go  no  further — there  is 
no  need.  You  know  all — my  weakness,  my  unkind- 
ness,  my  last  fearful  act.  You  know  of  my  remorse, 
my  repentance, — you  believed  it.  I  know  you  did ; 
for  when  Colonel  Howard  visited  me  in  my  cell,  he 
brought  from  his  mother  kind  and  encouraging  mes 
sages,  that  soothed  my  broken  spirit. 

"  '  These  evidences  of  an  interest  in  my  fate  pro- 


118  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

duced  an  impression,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  that  in 
some  way  I  should  be  enabled  to  escape  my  merited 
doom.  This  was  farther  strengthened  by  the  feeling 
manner  of  the  judge  when  I  was  brought  into  court 
to  receive  my  sentence.  He  fixed  his  eye  earnestly 
on  me  for  a  moment,  and,  turning  deadly  pale, 
dropped  the  paper  from  his  hands ;  but  recovering  it 
in  an  instant,  proceeded,  under  great  agitation, 
through  the  painful  duty. 

"  '  The  public  papers,  in  describing  the  trial,  men 
tioned  in  terms  of  praise  the  Christian  fortitude  with 
which  the  prisoner  heard  the  awful  sentence.  But 
they  knew  little  of  what  was  passing  in  my  mind.  I 
scarcely  heard  a  word  of  the  address,  but  with  my 
eyes  fixed  on  the  countenance  of  the  judge,  my 
thoughts  were  full  of  life,  not  of  a  shameful  death. 

"  '  One  week  had  elapsed,  when,  late  at  night,  after 
I  had  been  sleeping  for  some  time,  the  opening  of 
the  door  of  my  cell  awakened  me,  and  a  man  having 
an  air  of  authority,  whose  face  I  had  never  seen  be 
fore,  was  introduced  by  the  jailer.  "Leave  us  alone," 
said  the  stranger;  "I  am  authorized  to  converse  with 
the  prisoner."  When  we  were  alone,  "I  am  come," 
said  he,  "to  save  you."  "Are  you  sent  by  the  judge?" 
I  inquired.  "Such  questions,"  he  replied,  "are  im 
proper.  Ask  no  explanations,  but  listen  to  my 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  119 

directions,  and  follow  them  strictly,  as  you  value 
your  life."  Much  of  what  now  passed  I  am  bound 
by  promise  and  by  oath  never  to  disclose.  When  all 
had  been  said,  he  left  me,  promising  to  return 
speedily  and  conduct  me  to  a  place  of  safety. 

"  '  The  stranger  soon  returned,  bringing  with  him 
a  suit  of  clothes,  which  he  bade  me  put  on.  "  Take 
nothing  with  you,"  said  he.  I  caught  up  my  little 
Bible,  saying,  "I  must  and  will  take  this,"  and  buried 
it  in  my  bosom — that  precious  Bible,  my  mother's 
last  gift,  which  you,  madam,  had  so  kindly  taken 
care  of  after  my  arrest,  and  forwarded  to  me  in 
prison.  You  may  well  suppose  I  had  not  previously 
learned  to  value  it  much. 

"  '  He  then  put  a  paper  into  the  jailer's  hands, 
saying,  "This  is  your  warrant  for  permitting  the 
prisoner  to  go  out  in  my  company.  After  we  are 
gone,  you  will  have  some  of  the  bars  of  the  grating 
displaced,  and  a  rope  suspended  from  the  window,  to 
create  a  belief  that  he  has  escaped  that  way.  Here 
are  one  hundred  dollars  to  reward  your  secrecy. 
You  could  gain  nothing  by  giving  information ;  be 
prudent,  and  you  have  nothing  to  fear." 

"  '  I  accompanied  my  guide  through  the  long  halls 
of  the  prison,  and  then  along  many  gloomy  streets, 
until  we  reached  a  solitary  place,  where  stood  a  man 


120  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

holding  two  saddled  horses,  which  we  instantly 
mounted.  "We  will  go  slowly  at  first,"  said  he  in  a 
low  tone.  "Am  I  to  go  far?"  "Yes,  far  enough: 
do  you  grieve  to  leave  the  gibbet  behind?"  "No; 
only  one  thing  I  beg  you  won't  refuse  me — I  cannot 
go  until  I  have  seen  my  child."  "  Your  child !  where 
is  it  ?"  "At  the  barracks,  ten  miles  off."  "Are  you 
crazy,  man  ?  How  could  you  visit  the  barracks 
without  detection  ?  You  must  give  up  the  idea — I 
tell  you  it  is  impossible." 

"  '  I  felt  desperate — regardless  at  that  moment 
of  life  and  everything  else,  my  whole  soul  intent  on 
one  object, — to  see  my  innocent  babe.  "  I  will  go 
no  farther,"  said  I  sullenly;  "if  you  do  not  comply 
with  my  request,  I  will  return  to  my  cell.  Why 
should  I  not  ? — there  is  nothing  now  but  this  precious 
child  to  bind  me  to  life."  "You  are  a  madman,  or 
an  idiot,"  said  my  guide  angrily.  "I  would  gladly 
leave  you  to  the  fate  you  deserve,  but  my  promise 
forbids  it.  You  risk  the  life  and  liberty  that  seemed 
so  dear  to  you  an  hour  ago,  but  it  is  your  own 
choice ;  I  am  not  responsible  for  the  consequences. 
The  barracks  are  not  much  out  of  our  route,  and  if 
the  sentinels  do  not  recognise  you  in  your  present 
dress,  you  may  possibly  escape  the  dangers  of  this 
rash  experiment." 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  121 

"'Riding  briskly,  we  reached  the  barracks  an 
hour  before  day,  but  the  moon  having  risen  made 
objects  easily  discernible.  When  sufficiently  near 
we  tied  our  horses,  and  I  was  told  to  follow  at  a  dis 
tance  until  a  signal  should  be  given  me  to  advance. 
When  challenged  by  the  sentinel,  my  mysterious 
guide  said,  "  Friend,  with  the  countersign ;"  then 
going  forward,  a  whispered  conversation  ensued,  and 
I  was  beckoned  to  come  on.  "Now,"  said  he,  "you 
have  ten  minutes ;  make  the  most  of  your  time — we 
must  depart  immediately." 

"  'I  obtained  admission  to  my  sleeping  child,  on  pre 
tence  of  coming  at  the  earnest  entreaty  of  its  father, 
that  he  might  hear  of  it  once  more  before  his  death. 
You  cannot  imagine  the  comfort  I  derived  from  that 
brief  glance  at  my  unconscious  babe.  The  remem 
brance  of  her  sweet  smile  has  accompanied  me 
through  many  years  of  misery.  I  have  never  heard 
of  her  since  that  time.  My  old  parents  no  doubt 
have  long  since  gone  down  with  sorrow  to  the  grave ; 
and  my  daughter — I  know  not  whether  most  to  hope 
or  fear  to  hear  that  she  still  lives.' 

"'O'Connor,'  said  I,  'you  have  great  cause  for 
thankfulness.  Your  parents  are  living ;  your  daughter 
I  have  seen  lately,  a  lovely  intelligent  girl,  who  will 
welcome  you  with  the  warmest  affection.' 

11 


122  THE  KOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

" '  Is  it,  can  it  be  possible  that  there  is  such  hap 
piness  in  store  for  a  wretch  like  me  ?  Oh !  bless 
you,  madam,  bless  you,  for  the  sweet  assurance. 
Where  is  my  child  ?  can  you  tell  me  that  ?' 

" '  I  saw  her  in  New  York,'  said  I,  fearing  to  tell 
him  all  then ;  '  I  can  give  you  her  direction.  Now 
finish  your  story.' 

"  '  Well,  a  few  miles  below  the  barracks,  we  came 
to  a  little  town  on  the  Mississippi  River.  "  Here," 
said  my  guide,  "  you  are  to  take  the  boat  to  New 
Orleans.  Once  on  board  and  you  are  safe,  if  you 
have  common  sense,  which  I  have  had  some  cause 
to  doubt,  in  the  short  time  we  have  been  together. 
Here  is  a  purse  containing  a  sum  in  gold,  that  will 
maintain  you  until  you  can  get  employment,  and 
here  is  a  well-filled  valise.  A  steamboat  will  soon 
arrive ;  take  your  valise,  and  stay  at  the  tavern  until 
it  comes.  Those  under  whose  orders  I  act,  advise, 
that  at  New  Orleans  you  should  seek  a  vessel  sailing 
to  some  foreign  port.  Now  I  leave  you — farewell!" 

"  *  Without  giving  me  time  to  express  my  thanks 
for  his  services,  he  galloped  quickly  away,  leading 
the  horse  upon  which  I  had  ridden.  I  repaired  to 
the  tavern,  breakfasted,  and  in  an  hour  found  myself 
on  a  fine  steamboat,  bound  for  New  Orleans. 

" '  As  soon  as  I  reached  that  city,  I  went  along 


THE  ROMANCE  OP  THE  OCEAN.  123 

the  wharves,  making  inquiries  among  the  outward- 
bound  vessels.  I  found  one  just  ready  to  sail  for 
Rio  Janeiro,  engaged  a  passage  in  her,  and  in  a  short 
time  had  taken  my  last  look  at  my  native  land.  We 
had  a  tempestuous  voyage ;  many  times  shipwreck 
seemed  inevitable.  I  felt  that  I  was  a  Jonah,  for 
whose  sake  the  innocent  were  thus  made  to  suffer. 
I  wondered  that  the  crew  did  not  suspect  me,  and 
insist  on  drawing  lots  for  my  detection.  But  I  was 
still  to  be  spared,  I  hope  in  order  that  I  might  re 
pent  and  amend.  We  arrived  here  safely ;  I  soon 
found  employment  as  a  clerk  with  an  English  mer 
chant.  I  am  still  with  him,  and  have  accumulated  a 
considerable  sum  of  money.  It  has  appeared  value 
less  heretofore ;  now  I  shall  regard  it  in  another 
light.' 

"  *  O'Connor,'  said  I,  'there  is  something  in  your 
countenance  and  manner,  that  makes  me  hope  you 
have  found  that  true  peace,  to  which  the  chief  of 
sinners  may  attain.' 

"  '  I  have,  I  have,  madam,'  said  he,  with  much 
feeling,  l  and  you,  by  that  kind  act,  of  sending  me 
my  mother's  Bible,  were  the  means  of  my  obtaining 
it.  During  our  stormy  voyage,  I  had  few  opportu 
nities  for  reading  or  meditation.  But  when  I  had 
secured  a  comfortable  situation,  and  had  no  cause 


124  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

for  anxiety  about  my  temporal  prospects,  the  subject 
of  religion  was  much  in  my  thoughts. 

"  '  In  this  state  of  mind,  on  a  Sabbath  afternoon, 
when  I  had  been  nearly  a  year  in  this  place,  I  was 
passing  a  plain  building,  which  I  had  never  before 
noticed,  and  hearing  singing,  I  went  up  to  the  door, 
which  stood  open.  It  was  a  little  group  of  English 
and  American  residents. 

"  '  They  were  singing  a  hymn  I  had  often  heard 
at  home,  but  little  thought  how  applicable  it  would 
one  day  be  to  me. 

"People  of  the  living  God, 

I  have  sought  the  world  around, 
Paths  of  sin  and  sorrow  trod, 

Peace  and  comfort  nowhere  found." 

"  '  You  recollect  the  lines.  I  cannot  describe  the 
fascinating  effect  that  this  homelike  scene  had  upon 
me ;  I  could  not  move  from  the  spot.  I  remained 
leaning  on  the  side  of  the  door,  where  I  could  see 
and  hear  all  that  passed  within. 

"  '  A  Protestant  minister  rose  and  preached  such 
a  discourse,  as  I  thought  had  never  been  heard  be 
fore.  Every  word  seemed  to  suit  me ;  I  went  home 
to  peruse  my  Bible.  Every  Sabbath  found  me  at  the 
missionary's  chapel,  every  evening  was  employed  in 
devouring  the  contents  of  that  doubly  precious  book. 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  125 

"  '  Gradually  the  clouds  seemed  to  clear  away, 
dispersed  by  the  "  Sun  of  righteousness,  who  rose 
with  healing  in  his  beams."  I  remembered  my  sins, 
my  great  sin,  but  only  to  feel  assured  that  they  were 
not  remembered  against  me.  The  communion  and 
sympathy  of  Christians  I  much  desired,  but  have 
never  ventured  to  introduce  myself  even  to  the  ex 
cellent  missionary.  I  am  living  alone  in  the  world, 
yet  mine  is  not  a  useless  life. 

"  '  I  have  many  opportunities  of  doing  good,  both 
to  the  bodies  and  souls  of  those  around  me.  This 
has  been  my  chief  enjoyment ;  I  scarcely  dared  to 
hope,  that  a  home  and  relations  would  ever  be  mine 
again.  But  your  words,  madam,  have  inspired  me 
with  new  life.' 

"  Just  then,  I  saw  my  son  coming  into  the  house, 
and  sent  for  him.  He  was  nearly  as  much  surprised 
as  I  had  been,  for,  like  myself,  he  recognised  O'Con 
nor  instantly.  I  ran  briefly  over  the  outlines  of  the 
history  I  had  just  listened  to. 

"  'And  now,  William,  can  we  venture  to  tell  him 
all?  Can  you,  O'Connor,'  said  I,  looking  cheerfully 
at  him,  '  bear  to  hear  good  news,  very  good  news  ?' 

"  '  Oh !  my  daughter,'  said  he,  rising  eagerly, — 
'  where  is  she  ?     Tell  me — yes,  tell  me  !' 
11* 


126  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"  '  She  is  here,  in  this  house,'  said  I. 

"  '  Oh  !  merciful  Heaven  !'  he  exclaimed,  clasping 
his  hands,  '  truly  my  cup  of  blessing  is  full  to  over 
flowing.' 

"  'O'Connor,'  said  the  Colonel  solemnly,  'before 
we  permit  you  to  see  your  child,  we  must  put  you  on 
your  guard.  You  must  recollect  that  she  knows  no 
thing  of  the  painful  circumstances  of  your  early  life. 
She  knows  her  mother  died  at  Clinton  Barracks; 
she  suspects  you  are  a  deserter.  She  must  never 
know  more.  Can  you  command  yourself,  think  you, 
at  all  times  ?' 

"  'Yes,  yes,'  said  the  poor  man.  'Are  not  twelve 
years  of  total  silence  on  the  subject  long  enough  to 
make  it  a  granger  to  my  lips  ?' 

"  'There  is  another  thing,'  said  the  Colonel;  'your 
daughter  bears  a  perfect  resemblance  to  her  unfor 
tunate  mother.' 

"'I  feared  it — I  deserved  it,'  said  O'Connor, 
pacing  the  room  with  agitated  steps.  'But  I  can 
bear  it — I  will  bear  it.  Oh  !  trust  me,  kind  friends, 
and  let  me  see  my  child.' 

"  Harriet  was  summoned.  When  she  entered  the 
room,  he  staggered  back  an  instant,  then  going  quickly 
forward,  clasped  her  in  his  arms.  '  It  is  your  father, 
Harriet,'  I  said.  '  My  father !'  she  screamed  joy- 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  127 

fully,  hanging  her  head  fondly  on  his  shoulder,  as 
he  still  continued  to  embrace  her  in  silence. 

"'Now,  O'Connor,'  said  William,  with  judicious 
thoughtfulness,  after  a  few  minutes  had  passed,  'say 
good  night  to  Harriet,  for  we  must  have  some  con 
versation  on  your  plans  for  the  future.' 

'"O'Connor  kissed  her  again  and  again,  then  dis 
missed  her  with  a  tender  blessing,  and  a  promise  to 
see  her  early  next  morning.  Harriet's  sad  story 
had  now  to  be  related.  Her  father  was  much 
affected.  'Poor  lamb!'  he  exclaimed,  'so  old  in 
sorrow,  though  so  young  in  years.  I  will  go  with 
you.  I  will  remain  with  my  child  until  she  can  re 
turn  to  New  York;  then  I  will  go  back,  like  the 
prodigal  son,  to  my  father's  house.' 

"  He  will  settle  with  his  employers  to-night,  and 
be  ready  to  sail  with  us  to-morrow  evening. 

"  Dear  girls,  is  it  not  a  touching  story  ?  I  want 
you  to  feel  kindly  towards  the  poor  man,  whom  you 
must  often  see  during  our  stay  together.  I  am  sure 
you  cannot  feel  otherwise,  when  you  see  his  mild 
face,  so  deathly  pale,  and  his  thin  white  hairs,  giving 
him  the  appearance  of  a  man  of  sixty.  It  is  strange 
that  we  recognised  him,  for  when  we  knew  him  his 
hair  was  of  a  dark  brown,  and  his  complexion  ruddy ; 


128  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

but  his  features  and  countenance,  once  remarkably 
handsome,  are  wonderfully  unchanged." 

Harriet  was  so  lighthearted  the  next  morning, 
laughing  and  skipping  about,  that  I  said  to  her, 
"You  won't  care  for  Frederick,  now  you've  found 
your  father,  will  you?" 

"  Oh  !  Miss  Fanny,  how  can  you  say  so  ?  Won't 
he  be  Frederick's  father  too  ?  I  am  sure  the  dear 
fellow  will  be  almost  as  rejoiced  as  I  am.  Oh  !  my 
father  is  so  beautiful,  Miss  Fanny,  you  will  be  ready 
to  love  him  too." 

Harriet  spent  several  hours  alone  with  her  father. 
When  she  returned,  the  traces  of  tears  were  on  her 
cheek. 

"I  do  not  feel  so  merry  now,"  said  she,  smiling 
sadly.  "  I  can  see  my  father  has  been  a  great  suf 
ferer, — and  oh !  how  lonely  he  must  have  felt,  so 
many  years  among  strangers  in  a  foreign  land.  I 
cannot  understand  why  he  did  not  return  home,  or  at 
least  write,  but  feared  to  offend  him  by  asking.  He 
tried  to  ascertain  if  I  had  any  recollection  of  my 
mother,  or  of  my  life  at  Clinton  Barracks,  but  I 
have  none.  I  am  sorry,  for  it  would  gratify  him  to 
think  so." 

I  spent  the  last  afternoon  of  our  stay  in  Rio  at 
the  window,  and  saw  many  specimens  of  the  animal 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.       129 

and  vegetable  productions  of  the  country,  but  no 
thing,  I  believe,  worthy  of  a  particular  description. 

In  the  afternoon  we  went  on  board;  and  I  was 
really  so  glad  to  see  Mr.  Selden  and  Mr.  Spencer, 
who  walked  by  the  side  of  my  chair  to  the  wharf, 
that  I  forgot  I  was  riding  through  the  famous  city 
of  Rio  Janeiro,  which  I  had  never  seen  before,  and, 
entre  nous,  most  sincerely  hope  I  may  never  see 
again. 


CHAPTER   V. 

Prejudices  of  Seamen — Fanny  teases  Lucy  about  Colonel  Howard 
— Class  in  the  Cabin  to  learn  Spanish — Mrs.  Parker  in  the 
•way  as  usual — Passing  the  Straits  of  Magellan — Fanny  wishes 
to  see  a  Storm — Kebuke  of  Captain  Black — Affecting  Incident 
in  his  Life — Enter  the  Pacific — Mr.  Selden  visits  Nero  on  the 
Sabbath — His  Simple  and  Interesting  Story. 

JULY  15th.  Without  having  really  bad  weather, 
the  sea  has  been  so  rough,  ever  since  we  sailed  from 
Rio,  that  I  have  been  several  days  writing  down 
what  belongs  to  our  short  but  eventful  stay  on  land. 

I  complained  to  Mr.  Spencer,  that  I  could  not 
write  for  the  bumping  and  jerking  of  the  vessel,  and 
asked  him  why  the  ocean  should  be  so  much  rougher 
south  than  north  of  the  equator. 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  said  he,  with  a  look  so  serious 
that  I  was  almost  frightened.  "  "VVe  crossed  the  line 
without  the  usual  tribute  of  respect  to  Neptune.  He 
always  resents  such  neglect.  I  have  known  the  con- 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.       131 

sequence  to  be,  the  loss  of  the  vessel  and  crew.  We 
shall  get  off  well  if  a  rough  sea  is  all  we  have  to  com 
plain  of." 

"  Oh,  you  are  not  in  earnest,  now  ?"  said  I,  "  I 
know  you  are  not." 

"  It  is  part  of  a  sailor's  creed,"  said  he,  in  the 
same  serious  tone ;  "  I  am  bound  to  believe  it." 

"  But  Captain  Black, — surely  he  does  not  ?" 

"  Captain  Black  is  a  sceptic,"  replied  he,  quickly; 
then  turned  and  left  me.  Now,  for  my  life  I  can't 
tell  whether  the  man  was  in  earnest  or  only  trying 
to  mystify  me.  I  wish  I  could  find  out.  I  certainly 
never  saw  him  put  on  such  a  manner  before. 

16th.  Harriet  is  so  happy  with  her  father ;  he  is 
quite  a  favourite  with  all  on  board ;  he  has  a  most 
prepossessing  face.  I  often  watch  his  countenance, 
while  he,  unconscious  of  observation,  is  leaning  fondly 
over  Harriet's  chair,  playing  with  her  long  curls,  and 
smiling  at  her  innocent  remarks.  "  How  could  such  a 
man,"  I  say  to  myself,  "one  so  amiable,  so  tender 
hearted,  ever  have  been  degraded  into  a  brute,  a 
fiend  ?"  I  began  to  talk  to  Lucy  one  day  of  our  com 
mon  secret.  She  shuddered,  and  stopped  me,  by 
saying,  "  Oh,  Fanny,  I  beg  you  will  never  mention 
it.  I  wish  I  had  never  known  it.  I  am  afraid  to 
trust  myself  even  to  think  of  it." 


132  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"You  have  an  advantage  over  me, ' '  said  I ;  "  Colonel 
Howard  knows  all,  so  that  you  need  not  put  bolts  and 
padlocks  on  your  tongue  in  your  intercourse  with 
him ;  while  I,  when  in  familiar  converse  with  my 
lovers,  am  constantly,  uneasy  lest  I  commit  myself. 
I  want  them  both,  you  see,  till  I  have  made  a  selec 
tion." 

"I  never  touch  on  that  topic  with  Colonel  Howard," 
said  Lucy,  rather  coldly ;  "  neither  is  he,  as  your 
words  insinuate,  my  lover." 

"  You  astonish  me,  Lucy ;  has  he,  then,  '  never 
told  his  love,  but  let  concealment,  like  a  worm 
i'  the  bud,  feed  on  his  damask  cheek  ?'  not  damask 
either — manly  would  sound  better.  I  am  ashamed 
of  him ;  a  soldier,  that  wears  laurels  dearly  won  at 
Cerro  Gordo  and  Chapultepec,  afraid  to  speak  his 
mind  to  a  woman.  But,  dear  fellow,  perhaps  he 
needs  a  friend  to  advise  and  assist  him ;  I  must  get 
him  to  open  his  heart  to  me." 

"  Fanny,  Fanny  !"  said  Lucy,  catching  hold  of  my 
arm,  "  you  won't  do  anything  so  foolish,  so  improper. 
Tell  me  you're  in  jest ;  oh,  it's  unkind  to  frighten 
me  so." 

"  Well,  Lucy,  dearest,  I  am  only  in  fun ;  I  am 
really  sorry,  too,  since  it  has  made  you  so  uneasy. 
I'll  never  do  it  again — till  the  next  time." 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.         133 

I  nearly  killed  myself  laughing  to-day,  at  one  of 
Lucy's  young  ideas.  Little  George  Parker,  the 
second  boy,  was  reciting  his  spelling  lesson,  when  a 
sudden  jerk  of  the  ship  made  him  drop  his  book  and 
clap  both  hands  to  his  mouth,  screaming  bravely  at 
the  same  time. 

"  What  is  it,  dear?"  said  Lucy,  trying  to  remove 
his  hands. 

"  Stop  your  bawling,  and  tell  me  what  ails  you," 
said  his  mother,  giving  him  as  she  spoke  a  slap  which 
only  made  him  scream  the  louder. 

"  I — I,  bit  my  tongue,  so  I  did,  the  ship  shaked 
so,"  he  sobbed  out ;  "  I  can't  spell  any  more  !" 

"Yes  you  can,"  said  Mrs.  Parker,  "and  you  shall, 
too.  You  can  keep  your  teeth  shut.  I'm  not  going 
to  have  you  stop  for  nothing;  it's  all  an  excuse." 

"  I  can't,"  said  the  boy  ;  "  I  know  I  can't  spell 
with  my  teeth  shut." 

"  Let  us  try,"  said  Lucy,  mildly,  and  taking  the 
book,  she  spelled  a  few  words  through  her  closed 
teeth. 

The  children  all  laughed,  notwithstanding  their 
mother's  presence.  I  encouraged  them  in  it,  for  I 
like  to  help  the  poor  things  to  a  little  fun.  Taking 
the  book  from  Lucy,  I  commenced  spelling  as 
awkwardly  as  I  could.  Mr.  Spencer  drew  near, 

12 


134  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

and  remarked,  "  Your  scholars  are  merry,  this  morn 
ing,  Miss  Meecham." 

"  Yes,"  said  I,  "  Lucy  is  obliged  to  teach  them  a 
new  mode  of  speaking,  to  suit  the  rude  manners  of 
your  ill-behaved  vessel.  Come,  let  me  teach  you, 
Mr.  Mate ;  it  may  save  your  tongue  from  many  an 
unexpected  nip." 

Always  ready  for  a  joke,  he  took  the  book  and 
spelled  a  line  under  my  direction,  in  such  a  comical 
way,  as  made  the  young  folks  roar.  Mrs.  Parker, 
who  never  speaks  to  Mr.  Spencer  any  more  than  to 
myself,  rose  with  great  dignity,  and  said,  "  Chil 
dren,  take  your  books  to  the  cabin,  and  remain 
there."  Jake,  who  always  considers  himself  in 
cluded  in  these  general  addresses,  gathered  up  the 
baby,  with  a  shoe  and  stocking  it  had  pulled  off,  and 
trotted  after  the  rest,  followed  by  the  lady  herself, 
much  to  my  satisfaction. 

"Now,  Lucy,"  said  I,  "you  may  thank  me  for 
getting  through  your  task  an  hour  earlier  than 
usual." 

"  I  rather  think  I  deserve  the  credit,"  said  Mr. 
Spencer.  "  I  am  the  hawk,  on  whose  approach  the 
careful  hen  collects  her  innocent  brood,  and  hurries 
them  to  a  place  of  safety." 

"  I  wish  you  would  fly  this  way  often,  then,"  said  I. 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  135 

"Oh,  no!"  said  Lucy,  gently,  "your  intentions 
are  kind,  I  know,  but  I  cannot  allow  you  to  interfere 
with  my  duties ;  you  would  only  drive  me  from  this 
pleasant  shelter  to  the  close  cabin,  and  that,  I  am 
sure,  you  do  not  wish." 

17th.  Mr.  Selden  has  suggested  such  a  pleasant 
way  of  employing  a  part  of  our  long  afternoons.  He 
is  a  good  Spanish  scholar,  and  proposes  that  Lucy 
and  myself,  the  Colonel  and  Mr.  Spencer,  should 
take  lessons  in  the  language  from  him.  He  has  all 
the  books  necessary. 

Evening.  Oh !  Mrs.  Parker,  you  abominable 
woman !  Only  think,  Ellen,  what  she  did !  This 
morning,  when  school  was  over,  I  went  to  Lucy  and 
informed  her  of  the  pleasant  plan  we  had  in  view. 
She  was  much  gratified  with  the  prospect.  After 
we  had  talked  the  matter  over  a  little,  I  went  to  my 
state-room.  Presently  Lucy  came  in,  looking  un 
usually  flushed  and  embarrassed. 

"  Fanny,"  said  she,  her  voice  slightly  trembling, 
"  I  shall  not  be  able  to  join  your  Spanish  class ;  Mrs. 
Parker  desires  me  to  commence  French  with  Sarah 
in  the  afternoon.  Please  make  the  best  excuse  you 
can  for  me  to  Mr.  Selden." 

"And  can  you,  Lucy,  allow  yourself  to  be  so  im 
posed  upon?"  I  exclaimed  indignantly.  "Won't 


136  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

you  for  once  take  your  own  part,  and  show  her  you 
are  not  her  slave  ?" 

"It  is  no  imposition,"  replied  Lucy  mildly.  "I 
engaged  to  teach  French.  I  am  a  little  disappointed, 
I  own,  but  I  ought  to  have  expected  it." 

So  saying,  she  left  me,  to  prepare  for  dinner.  "  If 
I  don't  thwart  that  fine  scheme,"  said  I  to  myself, 
"my  name's  not  Fanny  Foley  !"  Hastily  finishing 
my  toilet,  I  ran  on  deck,  and  fortunately,  alone 
under  the  awning,  found  the  very  person  I  wished 
to  see,  Colonel  Howard. 

"My  dear  Colonel,"  said  I,  sitting  down  hy  him, 
"I  am  in  great  need  of  your  assistance.  If  we  lived 
in  the  'days  of  old  romance,'  I  am  sure  you  would 
gladly  break  a  lance  for  your  ladye-love." 

"  Most  undoubtedly  I  would ;  but  as  in  these  de 
generate  days  we  have  no  chance  of  displaying  such 
gallantry,  ask  anything  that  man  can  do,  and  your 
behest  shall  be  obeyed,  fair  lady.  Shall  I  call 
'  spirits  from  the  vasty  deep  ?'  ' 

"No,  the  task  I  require  of  you  is  one  in  which 
you  will  have  more  hope  of  success.  All  the  weapons 
you  will  need  are  those  with  which  nature  has  already 
bountifully  supplied  you, — a  blarneying  tongue  and  a 
fascinating  smile." 

"  Well,  really  it  is  not  very  flattering  to  my  self- 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  137 

esteem  to  hear  that  those  are  among  my  prominent 
characteristics.  I  hope  it  is  not  the  general  im 
pression,  but  only  one  of  your  own  odd  notions." 

"I  don't  know,"  said  I,  with  affected  simplicity; 
"  I  never  heard  Lucy  say  what  was  her  opinion  of 
you." 

"I  didn't  mean  Miss  Meecham,"  said  he,  looking 
foolish;  "that  was  a  fib  too.  But  it's  no  use  to  spar 
with  you,  Miss  Fanny ;  I  always  get  the  worst  of  it. 
Tell  me,  now,  in  what  way  I  can  serve  you." 

He  was  outrageous  when  I  informed  him  of  Mrs. 
Parker's  meanness. 

"I  should  like  to  see  the  woman  pitched  over 
board.  I  declare,"  said  he  vehemently,  "it  would 
be  a  mercy  to  Parker,  poor  fellow  !" 

"So  it  would ;  and  after  six  months  or  so,  which 
would  be  all  that  decency  required  in  a  new  country, 
he  could  marry  his  lovely  governess.  What  a  good 
step-mother  Lucy  would  make,  wouldn't  she?" 

"Miss  Foley,"  said  the  Colonel,  rising  angrily, 
and  putting  on  a  very  stately  air,  "  I  don't  think  it 
shows  kind  feeling  for  your  friend,  even  to  suppose 
such  a  thing." 

"  Oh,  Lucy  won't  hear  it,  and  I  didn't  know  you 
would  be  so  touchy  in  the  matter.     I  am  right  sorry 
I  said  it,  though,  for  I  am  afraid,  if  Mrs.  Parker 
12* 


138  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

were  to  fall  overboard,  you  would  plunge  in  to  save 
her,  notwithstanding  your  pity  for  her  husband." 

He  remained  silent  and  thoughtful,  and  I  feared 
I  had  ventured  a  little  too  far,  so  I  tacked  about,  as 
we  sailors  say. 

"  Colonel  Howard,  if  you  will  talk  to  Mrs.  Parker, 
I  think  you  can  induce  her  to  let  Lucy  join  our 
class.  Can't  you  persuade  her  that  such  close  con 
finement  in  this  latitude  will  injure  Sarah's  health, 
or  something  of  that  kind  ?  I  know  you  can  do  it, 
if  you  will  try." 

"Well,  I'll  do  my  best,"  he  replied  cheerfully, 
"as  soon  as  I  can  find  Mrs.  Parker  alone." 

How  good-tempered  he  is.  I  wish  I  hadn't  teased 
him  so  unmercifully. 

18th.  Nothing  was  said  of  either  Spanish  or 
French  lessons  yesterday  afternoon ;  but  this  morn 
ing  I  saw  Colonel  Howard  and  Mrs.  Parker  in 
earnest  conversation.  Presently  Mrs.  Parker  went 
below,  and  the  Colonel  joined  Mr.  Selden  and  my 
self,  who  were  together  awaiting  the  result  of  the 
conference. 

"Wish  me  joy!"  said  he,  as  he  came  near.  "I 
have  succeeded." 

"How?    We  are  curious  to  know  the  particulars." 

"I  mentioned,  as  if  I  thought  she  had  not  heard 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  139 

it,  our  plan  for  studying  Spanish  with  Mr.  Selden. 
I  said  we  would  find  even  a  slight  knowledge  of  the 
language  useful  and  necessary  in  our  ordinary  inter 
course  with  our  future  neighbours,  and  proposed  that 
she  should  allow  her  daughter  Sarah  to  join  the 
class.  I  remarked  that  she  was  of  an  age  to  acquire 
a  language  rapidly,  and,  as  Miss  Meecham  would  he 
taking  the  same  lesson,  they  would  assist  each  other. 
She  professed  herself  quite  pleased  with  the  pro 
posal,  and  gave  a  gracious  assent." 

"Handsomely  done,  indeed,"  said  Mr.  Selden. 
"We  consider  ourselves  engaged,  then,  to  meet  in 
the  sitting-room  at  three  o'clock,  to  commence  our 
studies.  I  must  go  and  make  my  arrangements." 

"And  I  must  go  and  tell  Lucy,"  said  I. 

"Stop  one  moment,  Miss  Fanny,"  said  the 
Colonel.  "Don't  let  her  know  that  I  had  any  share 
in  altering  the  arrangement ;  she  might  be  dis 
pleased." 

"Oh,  trust  me,"  I  answered,  "to  do  it  properly. 
I'll  tell  her  that  Mrs.  Parker's  natural  kindness  of 
heart  induced  her  to  propose  the  plan  herself,  or 
that,  with  dishevelled  locks  and  streaming  eyes,  I 
knelt  at  her  feet  and  melted  her  into  acquiescence. 
Which  do  you  think  she  will  be  the  most  likely  to 
believe?" 


140  THE  ROMANCE  Of  THE  OCEAN. 

"Poll !  nonsense,  you  crazy  girl !"  said  he,  laugh 
ing. 

Lucy  was  delighted  with  the  arrangement,  and  in 
her  innocence  never  seemed  to  think  of  any  ma 
noeuvre  having  been  necessary  to  bring  it  about ;  so 
I  told  her  nothing  of  the  means,  and  took  no  little 
credit  to  myself  for  so  doing. 

We  spent  two  hours  very  pleasantly  at  our  lessons. 
Mr.  Spencer  and  I  had  some  fun  between  us,  but  the 
Colonel  and  Lucy,  and  even  little  Sarah,  were  intent 
upon  the  business  before  them.  Mr.  Selden  called 
me  to  order,  and  even  threatened  to  put  me  upon  a 
chair,  if  I  did  not  behave  better ;  so  I  promised  to  be 
a  good  girl  and  learn  my  lessons. 

20th.  The  evenings  are  now  too  cool  to  allow  of 
our  sitting  on  deck  after  sundown ;  but  we  are  so 
happy  in  the  cabin,  we  do  not  regret  it.  The  ladies 
have  their  sewing  or  knitting  in  their  hands,  and  the 
gentlemen  read  to  us,  or  occasionally  entertain  us 
with  incidents  from  their  own  experience.  Some  of 
these  anecdotes  will  amuse  you  more  than  anything 
our  present  life  affords.  The  following  is  one  of 
Colonel  Howard's  stories: — 

At  Fort  Leavenworth  I  had  an  Irish  servant, 
who  was  continually  trying  my  patience  by  the  most 
provoking  blunders.  On  one  occasion,  when  he  had 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  141 

done  a  thing  in  exactly  the  opposite  way  to  that 
which  I  had  directed,  irritated  beyond  all  endurance, 
I  exclaimed,  "  Pat,  you're  for  ever  putting  the  cart 
before  the  horse." 

"Well,  your  honour,"  said  Pat,  reddening,  "I 
never  did  it  to  my  knowin'  but  wonst,  and  that  was 
when  I  first  came  into  the  country,  and  was  strange 
to  its  ways.  I  didn't  think  the  likes  o'  your  honour 
would  be  throwin'  that  up  to  me." 

"  How  was  it  ?"  said  I. 

"  Well,  you  see,  as  soon  as  I  landed,  bein'  a  hearty 
boy,  with  a  good  appetite  and  an  empty  pocket,  I 
looks  about  me  for  some  way  of  makin'  a  livin'. 
I  sees  a  smart-lookin'  gintleman  watchin'  all  the 
Paddies  as  they  came  ashore.  I  mistrusted  he  was 
wantin'  help,  as  they  call  us  in  this  country ;  so  I 
goes  up  to  him,  and  says  I,  '  If  ye're  lookin'  for  a 
sarvent  of  gintale  manners  and  good  caracter,  I'm 
the  man.  You  won't  find  a  better  in  the  hwll  lot.' 

"  'Where's  your  recommend?'  says  he. 

"  'Sure  I  ought  to  know  meself,'  says  I,  'better 
than  anybody  else  can ;  an'  I  give  you  the  word  of  a 
gintleman  that  Patrick  Shannessy,  that's  me,  is 
worth  his  weight  in  gold.' 

"'Well,'  said  he,  'if  your  other  qualifications 
equal  your  impudence,  you  must  be  a  jewel  of  a 


142  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

fellow.  Do  you  understand  gardening  and  the  care 
of  horses  ?' 

"  '  Do  I !'  says  I.  '  Maybe  ye'll  ask  me  if  I  know 
how  to  eat  a  paratie.  Sure  hadn't  I  all  the  care  of 
my  father's  garden,  ever  sence  I  could  walk  a'most?' 
(I  didn't  tell  him — why  should  I? — it  was  only  a 
paratie  patch,  with  a  dirty  corner  left  for  the  pig.) 
'As  for  the  horses,  bless  your  honour!  nay  father 
kept  one  that  nobody  could  do  anything  wid  but  me- 
self.'  (I  didn't  tell  him  no  lie  there,  neither;  for 
many  a  day  I  walked  the  streets  o'  Dublin,  not  on 
horseback,  but  wid  the  horse  on  my  back,  stoppin' 
to  saw  wood  at  gintlemen's  doors.) 

"With  that  he  engaged  me  right  away;  and  mighty 
proud  he  looked,  as  he  walked  home  with  such  a  fine 
fellow  as  meself  at  his  heels. 

"  '  It's  me  that's  the  lucky  boy,'  says  I  to  meself, 
'  and  Amiriky's  the  blessed  counthry.  I  wonder  they 
didn't  ma^ke  Columbus  a  saint  for  finding  it  out.  I'd 
have  prayed  to  him,  next  to  St.  Patrick,  rest  his 
bones.  Here's  me,  now,  ten  minutes  off  the  ship, 
and  the  promise  of  ten  dollars  in  my  pocket  if  I  live 
a  month;  and  sure  a  month  here  won't  be  longer 
than  a  week  in  ould  Ireland,  where  three  watery 
paraties  every  mornin'  was  all  a  tall  fellow  like  me 
could  get  to  keep  him  on  top  of  the  ground.  I 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  148 

wonder  now  if  the  priest  will  make  me  fast  every 
Friday.  That  would  be  hard ;  but  it  won't  be  con 
venient  to  confess  for  a  year  any  how,  so  I  needn't 
worry  meself.'  So  talkin'  this  way  to  meself  we 
came  to  the  gintleman's  house,  and  a  fine  place  it 
was  for  sartain. 

"  '  Here,  Bridget,'  says  he,  to  the  cook,  '  this  is  a 
countryman  of  yours,  just  off  the  ship  ;  let  him  have 
a  good  dinner,  and  then  I'll  tell  him  his  duties.' 

"  I  got  along  for  a  week  without  makin'  any  bad 
mistakes.  Biddy  was  a  good  friend  to  me,  and  told 
me  how  to  do  some  jobs  I  had  never  put  a  hand  to 
before.  But  one  mornin'  the  master  says,  '  Pat,  put 
my  horse  to  »the  sulky,  and  bring  it  to  the  door.' 
Well,  I  was  so  feared  of  being  laughed  at  by  the 
man  that  worked  the  farm,  that  I  wouldn't  ask  any 
questions  of  him,  but  I  goes  to  Biddy,  and  says  I, 
*  Biddy,  I'm  in  a  fix ;  ye  see,  I  never  geared  a 
horse  in  my  life,  and  I  don't  know  how  to  go  about 
it;  can't  ye  jest  come  and  give  me  a  lift,  ye  good 
creature,  that  ye  are  ?' 

"  '  Well,  I  can't  in  conscience  leave  my  work  now,' 
says  she,  '  but  I'll  tell  you,  just  watch  Solomon,  he's 
gearin'  a  horse  now;  you'll  easy  learn.' 

"  I  went  back  to  the  barn,  and  there  was  Solomon 
puttin'  a  horse  to  the  plough.  I  watches  him  out  o' 


144  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

one  corner  of  my  eye,  and  as  soon  as  Solomon  gets 
out  of  sight,  I  gets  the  horse  and  fastens  him  with 
his  tail  to  the  back  part  of  the  buggy,  though  I  had 
mighty  hard  work  to  get  him  fixed  straight ;  and 
then  I  takes  up  the  shafts  like  Solomon  did,  and 
drives  him  round  to  the  front  door.  Pretty  soon 
the  master  came  out  all  ready  for  a  ride,  but  instead 
of  gettin'  in,  he  bursts  out  laughin',  and  runs  back 
into  the  house.  Out  he  comes  again  with  the  mis 
tress  and  the  young  master  and  the  young  ladies, 
and  such  a  laughin'  they  set  up,  I  thought  they'd  a 
killed  themselves.  At  last,  the  master,  says  he, 
'  Pat,  is  that  the  way  they  gear  horses  in  the  old 
country  ?' 

"  '  No,  yer  honour,'  says  I,  '  but  Biddy  tould  me 
to  watch  Solomon,  and  do  jest  as  he  done,  and  so  I 
did  jest  the  very  same  way ;  sure,  I  thought  it  was 
the  fashion  maybe  in  Amiriky.' 

"'Well,  Pat,'  said  he,  very  kindlike,  'take  the 
horse  out,  and  I'll  show  you  how  we  do  the  thing. 
I'll  forgive  the  mistake  for  the  good  laugh  you've 
given  us.' 

"  I  wish  he  had  promised  to  forget  it  as  well,  but 
he  didn't,  nor  the  young  master,  nor  the  young  ladies 
neither  ;  even  Biddy,  the  kind-hearted  creathur,  had 
to  come  it  over  me  now  and  then,  and  I  knocked 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  145 

Solomon  down  twiste  afore  he'd  stop  a  laughin'  at  it. 
So  the  long  and  the  short  of  it  was,  that  I  had  to 
leave  the  best  place  in  all  Amiriky,  because  I  wonst 
had  the  bad  luck  to  put  the  cart  before  the  horse." 

22d.  We  got  upon  the  subject  of  ghost  stories  last 
evening,  and  as  a  natural  consequence,  we  sat  up  to 
an  unusually  late  hour.  I  thought  of  you,  and  of 
the  summer  we  spent  together  years  ago,  at  Grand 
ma  Wilson's,  when  we  used  every  night,  as  soon  as 
the  candle  was  lighted,  to  draw  our  low  seats  to 
grandma's  knee,  and  beg  her  to  tell  us  some  of  her 
nice  Jersey  ghost  stories.  Then,  when  bedtime  came, 
we  would  steal  into  the  kitchen,  hand  in  hand,  to 
bribe  old  Susan  to  come  and  sit  by  our  bedside  until 
we  fell  asleep.  Many  a  handkerchief  and  apron 
have  we  made  for  her  as  the  penalty  of  hearing 
grandma's  delightfully  awful  stories.  Even  now, 
the  same  strange  feelings  are  left  upon  my  mind, 
after  an  evening  so  spent,  and  I  was  not  at  all  sorry 
last  night  that  I  had  secured  a  foom-mate.  Harriet, 
I  fancy,  was  similarly  affected.  I  noticed  her  taking 
a  miniature  case  from  her  trunk  just  as  she  was  pre 
paring  to  step  into  her  berth. 

"Why,  you  romantic  creature,"  said  I,  "do  you 
sleep  with  that  next  your  heart?" 

"  Oh  no,"  she  replied,  "but  I  look  at  it  the  last 
13 


146  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

thing,  that  I  may,  if  possible,  dream  of  Frederick, 
instead  of  imagining  that  the  Spirit  with  the  Burning 
Hand  is  pursuing  me  !  If  you  hear  me  struggle,  Miss 
Fanny,  please  waken  me." 

I  promised,  after  making  a  similar  request  of  her. 

You  remember,  Ellen,  that  horrid  story  of  a  ghost 
that  appeared  to  a  man  at  work  in  a  field,  and  com 
missioned  him  to  have  justice  done  to  a  person  who 
had  been  defrauded  of  his  rights.  To  give  authority 
to  his  commission,  or  to  corroborate  some  statement, 
he  said,  "Here  is  my  mark!"  and  laying  his  hand 
upon  the  rail  of  the  fence,  left  there  a  charred  im 
pression  of  three  fingers.  The  story  is  a  favourite 
with  father.  I  believe  he  either  saw  the  impression 
himself,  or  saw  the  man  that  did  see  it. 

Mrs.  Howard  related  an  incident  somewhat  similar. 
This  occurred  in  Jersey,  too,  where  all  grandma's 
ghosts  flourished.  They  ought  to  be  counted  as  one 
of  the  staple  commodities  of  the  state,  along  with 
peaches  and  melons? 

Some  orphans  were  about  to  be  defrauded  of  an 
estate,  because  of  a  signature  being  wanting  to  an 
important  document.  When  the  case  was  before  the 
court,  and  just  on  the  point  of  being  decided  against 
the  rightful  heirs,  a  white  hand  appeared  over  the 
unsigned  paper,  which  lay  upon  the  table,  seized  a 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  147 

pen,  and  affixed  the  necessary  name,  a  solemn  voice 
at  the  same  instant  uttering  "Witness  my  hand!" 

I  asked  Mr.  Selden  if  he  was  a  believer  in  ghosts. 

"  Most  certainly,"  he  answered,  "and  if  the  com 
pany  will  permit,  I  will  relate  one  of  undoubted 
authenticity." 

He  then  gave  us  the  story  of  Saul  and  the  Witch 
of  Endor,  arranging  it  with  such  ingenuity  that  we 
did  not  recognise  it  till  the  close. 

"  On  leaving  West  Point,"  said  Colonel  Howard, 
"  I  was,  with  six  of  my  classmates,  ordered  to  Jefferson 
Barracks.  There  were  many  more  young  officers  at 
the  station,  and  having  a  very  easy  commandant,  he 
did  not  give  us  duty  enough  to  keep  time  from  pass 
ing  slowly  with  us.  The  consequence  was,  that 
practical  jokes  on  each  other,  and  mischief  of  every 
conceivable  kind,  were  resorted  to,  to  keep  us  alive. 
A  toad  put  into  the  bed  of  a  room-mate,  a  board 
placed  over  a  neighbour's  chimney,  an  officer's 
sword  and  sash  secreted,  when  the  drum  was  hurry 
ing  him  to  parade ;  these,  and  a  hundred  such  tricks 
were  our  daily  fare.  Once  a  wild,  thoughtless  youth 
threw  a  well-filled  powder-horn  upon  the  fire,  around 
which  a  dozen  of  us,  in  dressing-gowns  and  slippers, 
were  comfortably  seated  with  our  cigars.  One  of 
the  party  had  sufficient  presence  of  mind  to  pluck 


148  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

the  horn  from  the  flames,  and  plunge  it  into  a  bucket 
of  water.  It  was  already  blackened  and  shrivelled 
by  the  heat — a  moment  more  would  have  been  too 
late. 

"  The  only  trick  in  which  I  took  an  active  part, 
was  in  playing  the  ghost  upon  one  occasion.  A  com 
panion  and  myself,  wrapped  in  long  sheets,  and 
having  our  faces  rubbed  with  phosphorus,  sallied 
forth  at  midnight  to  visit  the  sentries.  As  we  ap 
proached  the  first  post,  we  were  not  seen  by  the 
sentinel,  who  had  probably  been  in  his  box,  until  we 
had  approached  within  a  dozen  steps  of  him.  At 
the  first  glance,  he  dropped  his  musket  and  made 
for  the  guard-house  with  all  speed,  screaming,  as  he 
ran,  '  Corporal  of  the  guard !  och,  murther  !  St. 
Pathrick,  dear,  don't  let  'em  catch  me  !' 

"  We  gave  chase  at  first,  but  he  made  such  an  up 
roar,  that  fearing  discovery,  we  hastened  to  our 
rooms  and  to  our  beds." 

"  Garrisons  are  as  famous  for  ghostly  visitants 
as  Fanny  says  New  Jersey  is,"  observed  Mrs. 
Howard. 

"  Several  years  ago,  I  was  on  a  visit  to  my  cousin, 
Mrs.  Captain  Fuller,  at  Fort  Monroe.  Her  daughter 
Mary,  a  girl  of  fifteen,  was  at  the  time  much  in 
terested  in  the  study  of  astronomy.  One  night,  she 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.       149 

made  an  appointment  with  her  governess,  who  resided 
in  the  family,  to  rise  at  twelve  o'clock,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  seeing  a  particular  constellation. 

"  They  proposed  to  go  out  of  the  front  door,  to 
avoid  disturbing  the  Captain,  who  was  not  in  the 
secret,  as  they  were  by  no  means  sure  of  his  approv 
ing  the  scheme.  Passing  round  the  house,  they 
would  reach  a  balcony  in  the  rear,  from  which  they 
could  command  a  view  of  the  heavens.  To  do  this 
they  must  necessarily  pass  a  sentry,  who  was  stationed 
at  the  side  of  the  building.  Intent  upon  their  pur 
pose,  and  without  a  thought  of  mischief,  they  threw 
white  wrappers  around  them,  and  with  their  heads 
uncovered  sallied  forth  with  noiseless  steps.  When 
they  reached  the  corner  of  the  house,  there  stood  the 
sentinel  within  a  few  steps  of  them.  Uttering  an 
exclamation  of  surprise,  he  hastily  retreated  a  short 
distance,  then  rallying  his  courage,  he  raised  his 
musket,  and  aiming  at  the  girls,  cried  out,  '  Come 
an  inch  nearer,  and  you  shall  have  it ;  ghost  or  not, 
a  Yankee's  not  afeard  of  you.' 

"  Much  more  scared  than  the  sentinel,  the  girls, 
without  speaking  a  word,  ran  with  all  their  might  to 
the  back  portico.  When  they  were  satisfied  with 
their  astronomical  observations,  the  difficulty  was 

how  to  get  back  into  the  house  without  passing  the 
13* 


150  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

sentinel,  who  they  feared,  if  they  returned  the  same 
way,  would  fire  without  allowing  time  for  explana 
tion.  An  old  negro  man  slept  in  a  room  that  had  a 
window  opening  on  the  porch.  They  concluded  to 
awaken  him,  and  make  him  unlock  the  back  door. 
It  required  some  time  and  much  thumping  on  the 
window-pane  to  arouse  the  sound  sleeper.  At  length 
he  raised  the  window,  but  seeing  two  figures  in  white, 
he  thought  it  was  a  summons  for  him  from  the  other 
world. 

"  '  Oh,  beautiful  angels,'  said  he,  his  teeth  chatter 
ing  with  fright,  '  hab  you  come  for  ole  Bob  ?  Please 
let  him  stop  a  bit;  white  folks  can't  spare  him  no 
how.' 

"  'Why  daddy,'  said  Mary,  laughing  very  heartily, 
'  don't  you  know  us  ?  It's  Miss  Syms  and  Miss 
Mary ;  we  came  out  to  look  at  the  stars,  and  now 
we  want  you  to  open  the  door  and  let  us  in.' 

"  '  Oh,  yes,  yes,  missus,  I  knows  you  well  enough 
now ;  but  I  hopes  you  won't  be  for  comin'  agin  to 
scare  ole  nigger  dis  fashion.  Tudder  world  werry 
nice  place,  dare  say,  but  what  Massa  John  and  Miss 
Nancy  do  widout  Bob — eh  ?' 

"  The  next  day  Captain  Fuller  was  officer  of  the 
guard.  He  came  in  about  ten  o'clock,  saying  he 
hoped  none  of  us  had  been  disturbed  during  the 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.        151 

night;  that  a  sentry  stationed  at  the  side  of  our 
quarters  had  sworn  that  two  ghosts  issued  from  our 
front  door  at  midnight,  passed  round  the  house,  and 
disappeared  behind  it ;  that  he  had  challenged  them, 
but  received  no  answer ;  and  that  their  feet  made  no 
sound  upon  the  pavement  as  they  walked. 

"  '  What  was  thought  of  his  statement  ?'  asked 
Mrs.  Fuller,  to  whom  Mary  had  related  the  adven 
ture. 

"  'Oh,'  said  the  Captain,  'if  the  fellow  had  pos 
sessed  an  ounce  of  brains,  he  would  have  held  his 
tongue.  It  has  only  got  him  into  the  guard-house, 
on  bread  and  water.  Of  course  he  must  either  have 
been  drunk  or  sleeping  at  his  post.'  The  girls  could 
not  bear  the  idea  of  the  soldier's  being  punished  un 
justly,  so  with  great  reluctance  they  confessed  the 
facts. 

" '  Well,  well,'  said  the  Captain,  '  that  was  a 
sensible  manoeuvre,  to  be  sure.  Why  couldn't  you 
have  gone  out  the  back  way  at  once  ?  Oh  yes,  I 
see,  you  were  afraid  to  pass  my  door ;  I  wasn't  to 
know  anything  about  it.  Well,  you  won't  hear  the 
last  of  it  soon,  I  promise  you.  I  shall  tell  it  to  the 
young  officers ;  and  when  they  get  hold  of  it,  I  guess 
you'll  wish  you  had  stayed  in  your  beds.' 

"Your  acquaintance  with  a  garrison,  Fanny,  is 


152       THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

not  sufficient  to  make  you  feel  the  force  of  this 
threat.  Certainly,  of  all  teasing,  I  never  knew  any 
thing  to  equal  that  of  a  knot  of  young  officers.  You 
will  meet  with  your  match  soon,  Fanny,  if  you  are 
not  beaten  at  your  own  weapons." 
"I  defy  them,"  said  I  proudly. 

"  '  Come  one,  come  all,  this  rock  shall  fly 
From  its  firm  base,  as  soon  as  I.'  " 

25th.  We  shall  make  the  shortest  trip,  Mr. 
Spencer  thinks,  that  has  yet  been  made  to  the  land 
of  gold.  The  Captain  intends,  if  the  wind  and 
weather  continue  favourable,  to  run  through  the 
Straits,  instead  of  going  round  the  Cape.  We  shall 
be  almost  -within  hail  of  the  giants  on  the  one  side, 
and  the  pigmies  on  the  other,  without  a  chance  of 
seeing  either.  I  think  these  ships  might  be  more 
accommodating.  I  told  Mr.  Spencer  I  was  going  to 
ask  Captain  Black  to  stop  a  little  while  at  the  island, 
that  I  might  catch  a  little  Fuegian,  to  take  with  me 
for  a  curiosity. 

"I  would  advise  you  not  to  do  it,"  said  he;  "the 
Captain  is  particularly  cross  in  this  neighbourhood. 
I  never  address  him  myself,  when  I  can  avoid  it.  I 
do  not  know  any  reason  for  it,  unless  the  increased 
anxiety  and  responsibility  he  must  naturally  feel,  in 


THE  ROMANCE  OP  THE  OCEAN.       153 

this  often  dangerous  part  of  the  voyage,  produces 
this  irritability.  It  is  remarked  by  all  who  have 
sailed  with  him.  I  have  heard  the  men  say,  'We 
must  walk  straight  now,  till  we  get  round ;  the  old 
man  has  his  storm-cap  on.'  ' 

26th.  From  the  commencement  of  our  voyage, 
as  you  know,  I  have  had  a  great  desire  to  see  a 
storm,  and  early  exacted  a  promise  from  Colonel 
Howard,  that  if  we  should  be  favoured  with  one,  he 
would  take  me  on  deck,  even  if  it  should  be  at  night, 
to  look  at  the  ocean.  I  begin  to  despair  of  having 
my  wish  gratified.  We  are  already  in  the  Straits, 
with  a  fair  breeze  and  a  cloudless  sky.  We  shall 
soon  run  through,  and  once  in  the  Pacific,  the 
chances  for  a  storm  are  very  few. 

27th.  I  ran  on  deck  as  soon  as  I  was  up  this 
morning,  to  take  a  view  of  the  heavens.  Seeing 
Captain  Black  standing  alone,  apparently  watching 
the  clouds,  I  approached  him,  and  said,  "  Captain,  I 
want  to  see  a  storm  so  much ;  don't  you  think  these 
clouds  look  as  if  they  would  bring  us  one  ?" 

He  started,  and  became  strangely  agitated,  and  it 
was  some  moments  before  he  spoke.  "May  Heaven 
preserve  us !"  said  he,  in  a  solemn  and  tremulous 
voice.  "You  little  know  what  you  are  talking  about. 
Listen,  young  lady,  and  I  will  tell  you  what  has 


154  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

never  passed  these  lips  but  once,  though  the  subject 
is  seldom  out  of  my  thoughts. 

"Three  years  ago  this  very  month,  I  was  near 
this  spot,  with  as  noble  a  vessel  and  as  fine  a  crew 
as  ever  sailed.  My  son  was  with  me — my  brave  and 
beautiful  boy.  He  was  thoughtless  and  lightheaded 
like  yourself,  Miss  Fanny,  and  always  wishing  to  see 
a  storm.  Almost  in  this  very  spot  he  asked,  as  you 
have  just  done,  '  Don't  you  think  those  clouds  will 
bring  us  a  storm?'  I  answered  roughly,  for  my 
heart  was  heavy  with  apprehension  as  I  thought  of 
my  son,  and  I  would  have  given  all  I  was  worth  that 
I  had  left  him  in  his  safe  and  happy  home.  Yes, 
that  bitter  thought  will  follow  me  to  my  dying  day — 
the  last  words  I  was  allowed  to  speak  to  my  idolized 
boy  were  words  of  stern  rebuke.  He  turned  away — 
my  darling  child — saddened  by  my  harshness.  I 
never  heard  his  voice  again. 

"The  storm  came.  I  cannot  describe  it — to  think 
of  it  almost  maddens  me.  It  was  night.  Oh !  the 
horrors,  the  misery  that  can  be  crowded  into  one 
night !  When  daylight  came,  I  found  myself  lying 
almost  lifeless  on  a  rock.  My  faithful  dog  was  at 
my  side — no  other  living  thing  in  sight.  I  looked 
for  my  ship.  Nothing  was  to  be  seen  but  a  few 
pieces  of  the  wreck,  tossed  about  on  the  angry  waves. 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  155 

My  noble  vessel,  my  hardy  crew,  my  precious  boy — 
all  were  gone. 

"  Oh,  my  dear  young  lady,  be  thankful  to  the 
Providence  which  has  so  kindly  preserved  us,  and 
pray,  oh !  fervently  pray  that  you  may  never  witness 
a  storm  at  sea." 

28th.  You  can  readily  believe,  Ellen,  that  though 
I  continued  to  watch  the  sky  during  the  remainder 
of  the  day,  it  was  with  entirely  different  feelings  and 
wishes.  I  could  not  get  the  Captain's  solemn  looks 
and  awful  words  out  of  my  mind ;  and  I  never,  I 
think,  felt  so  happy,  as,  when  going  on  deck  this 
morning,  Lucy  met  me  and  exclaimed,  "Fanny, 
these  are  the  blue  waters  of  the  glorious  Pacific !" 
I  burst  into  tears — I  could  not  help  it — and  hugged 
the  dear  girl  so  heartily  that  she  was  quite  surprised, 
and  said,  "Well,  I  never  expected  such  enthusiasm 
in  a  young  lady  who  laughs  at  whales  and  water 
spouts."  I  did  not  enter  into  any  explanation.  The 
fact  is,  I  was  a  little  ashamed  of  both  my  folly  and 
my  fears. 

29th.  If  you  read  these  papers  with  a  critical  eye, 
you  will  notice,  what  I  have  myself  just  detected,  in 
glancing  over  them.  Some  of  the  days  which  ought 
to  have  been  noted  as  Sundays,  are  occupied  with 
the  relation  of  ordinary  matters.  This  is  a  mistake. 


156  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

All  our  Sabbaths  have  been  spent  in  a  similar  way 
to  the  first,  which  I  particularly  described.  Having 
nothing  new  to  say  on  the  subject,  I  have  omitted  to 
notice  the  Sundays ;  but  sometimes  when  I  write  on 
Monday,  put  down  the  day  of  the  month  next  to  my 
last  date,  without  recollecting  that  a  day  has  inter 
vened.  It  has  always  been  a  difficult  matter  with 
me  to  keep  the  day  of  the  month  correctly,  so  I  just 
guess  at  it — my  own  heedless  way,  you  know. 

First  Sunday  on  the  Pacific. — It  has  been  a  lovely 
day.  I  spent  hours  leaning  over  the  ship's  side, 
watching  the  motion  of  the  snowy  sunlit  clouds  as 
they  were  reflected  in  the  calm  waters  beneath. 

The  northwest  wind,  which  was  so  fair  for  us,  after 
leaving  Rio,  would  have  been  ahead  in  the  course 
we  are  now  running,  but  we  had  no  sooner  got  out  of 
the  Straits,  than  the  wind  changed  suddenly  to  a 
stormy  southwest,  from  which  point  it  still  continues 
to  blow,  carrying  us  swiftly  on  towards  our  destined 
port. 

Mr.  Selden's  sermon,  this  morning,  was  on  the 
subject  of  missions.  He  gave  a  sketch  of  the  pro 
gress  of  the  Christian  religion  in  the  islands  of  the 
Pacific,  dwelling  particularly  on  the  past  and  present 
state  of  the  Sandwich  and  Society  Islands,  both  of 
which  groups  our  vessel  is  to  visit  on  her  homeward 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  157 

trip.  Addressing  the  crew,  he  said,  "  My  friends,  I 
beg  you  to  keep  these  facts  in  your  memories  ;  and 
when  you  see  the  peace,  piety,  and  prosperity,  which 
prevail  in  these  islands ;  when  you  see  their  neat 
villages,  well-tilled  fields,  handsome  churches,  and 
flourishing  schools,  contrast  it  with  their  condition 
only  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  and  remember  that 
this  change  has  been  effected  by  the  introduction  of 
the  gospel.  It  is  that  alone  which  has  the  promise 
of  the  '  life  which  now  is'  as  well  as  of  that  which 
is  to  come.  Or,  in  the  simple  words  of  the  poet, 

"  '  'Tis  religion  that  can  give  sweetest  pleasures  while  we  live, 
'Tis  religion  must  supply  solid  comfort  when  we  die.' " 

The  crew  listened  with  the  deepest  attention,  and  I 
saw  the  tears  chasing  each  other  down  Nero's  polished 
cheeks,  though  I  cannot  believe  he  could  understand 
much  of  the  discourse.  I  asked  Mr.  Selden  if  he 
noticed  it ;  he  said  he  had,  and  he  blamed  himself 
for  not  having  paid  more  attention  to  the  old  man ; 
that  he  had  conversed  at  various  times  with  all  the 
sailors,  but  that  Nero  looked  so  stupid  and  silent, 
that  he  had  scarcely  thought  of  him  as  an  intelligent 
being.  "I  will  do  what  I  can  to  atone  for  my 
neglect,"  said  he,  "  by  visiting  him  this  very  even- 
ing." 

14 


158  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"Get  a  chart  of  the  route  from  Mr.  Spencer, 
then,"  said  I,  "and  not  from  this  sly  rogue,"  pinch 
ing  the  arm  of  Sam  Parker,  who  sat  by  me. 

August  2d.  As  soon  as  I  had  an  opportunity  this 
morning,  I  asked  Mr.  Selden  the  result  of  his  visit 
to  Nero.  He  said  he  was  exceedingly  gratified. 
"  Well,  now,"  said  I,  "  I  do  want  to  have  the  whole 
story ;  hut  please,  that's  a  dear  kind  man,  just  write 
it  down  for  me.  You  can  do  it  so  much  better  than 
I  can ;  I  want  it  for  the  journal  I  am  keeping  for  a 
sweet  young  friend  of  mine.  I  will  give  you  all  the 
credit  of  it  with  her,  and  when  you  go  back  to  New 
York" But  I  won't  tell  you,  Ellen,  all  the  pro 
mises  I  made,  lest  you  should  present  them  against 
me  at  some  future  time,  when  I  may  have  concluded 
to  keep  Mr.  Selden  for  myself.  I  suppose  he  thought 
the  inducement  sufficient ;  for  he  consented,  and  im 
mediately  left  me  for  the  purpose. 

After  our  Spanish  lesson  this  afternoon,  he  handed 
me  the  following  paper,  which  I  will  paste  into  my 
journal,  it  will  save  me  the  trouble  of  copying.  Isn't 
it  a  beautiful  hand  ?  I  wish  I  could  draw  likenesses, 
I  would  send  you  a  sketch  of  his  very  handsome  and 
intellectual  face.  No ;  on  second  thoughts  I  wouldn't 
do  any  such  thing ;  and,  furthermore,  I  shall  keep 
his  paper  myself,  and  send  you  a  copy.  We  shall  be 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  159 

on  the  ocean  some  weeks  yet,  and  nobody  knows 
what  may  come  to  pass  in  that  time.  It's  best  to 
be  on  the  safe  side.  I  have  been  pretending,  (just 
to  myself,  you  know,)  that  I  was  a  parson's  wife,  to 
see  if  I  could  learn  to  behave  myself  properly  in  such 
a  situation.  I  think  I  succeed  admirably;  for  a 
whole  week  I  have  not  laughed  too  loud,  or  played 
hide-and-seek  with  Sam  Parker,  or  pinned  paper 
streamers  to  Mr.  Spencer's  coat-tail.  Even  father 
remarked  the  change,  for  this  morning,  as  I  sat  at 
the  table  with  my  Spanish  grammar,  committing  my 
lesson  with  great  diligence,  he  remarked  to  Mrs. 
Howard,  "  Fan's  improving,  isn't  she  ?  That  fine 
girl,  Miss  Meecham,  has  been  a  useful  companion  to 
her,  I  think.  She's  a  right  good  child,  only  too 
much  of  a  hoyden!"  Ellen,  wasn't  it  too  bad?  I 
could  have  cried  with  vexation,  or  trod  on  father's 
corn  with  right  good  will,  but  I  thought  it  most  pru 
dent  to  be  so  absorbed  in  my  studies,  as  not  to  have 
heard  what  was  passing.  I  am  glad  none  of  the 
gentlemen  were  present. 

ME.  SELDEN'S  STORY. 
"  Under  Mr.  Spencer's  guidance  I  had  no  difficulty 
in  reaching  Nero's  dark  abode.     Long  before  we  got 
to  it,  however,  we  could  hear  his  voice,  singing  with 
great  energy,  the  lively  Methodist  hymn, — 


160  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"  '  If  you  get  there  before  I  do — glory  hallelujah, 

Look  out  for  me,  I'm  coming  too — glory  hallelujah  !'  " 

"  *  I'll  venture  to  say,'  remarked  Spencer,  '  that 
old  black  fellow  is  the  happiest  soul  on  board  our 
ship.  I  have  never  yet  seen  him  out  of  humour,  or 
heard  him  make  a  complaint.  I  have  sometimes  said 
to  him,  "  Uncle,  you  must  be  monstrous  lonesome 
down  here."  "Not  a  bit,  massa,"  he  would  answer 
cheerfully,  "  Nero  don't  know  what  lonesome  is.  I 
talk  to  myself — I  talk  to  de  stove — I  talk  to  ebery- 
ting.  I  have  plenty  company."  And  it's  a  fact  too, 
I  heard  him  one  day  addressing  the  tea-kettle,  "Well, 
now,  Missy  Kettle,  you  bilin'  too  fast,  you  knows 
you  is ;  no  use  in  wastin'  fresh  water,  dis  way ;  what 
you  spose  Captin  say  ?  I  take  you  off — dare  now." 

"  Spencer  left  me  at  the  foot  of  the  descent,  and 
I  approached  to  the  table  where  Nero  sat,  with  a 
hymn-book  before  him.  He  gave  me  a  cordial  wel 
come,  saying,  as  I  took  a  seat  near  him,  *  Nero  bery 
proud  dis  trip  ;  first  hab  pretty  lady  come  to  see  him, 
den  good  parson.'  I  assure  you  I  felt  uncomfortably 
conscious  of  my  culpable  neglect  of  one  who  had  pecu 
liar  claims  upon  my  services  as  a  Christian  minister. 

"  '  I  am  glad  to  see  you  can  read,  Nero,'  said  I. 
1  Oh  no,  massa,  me  can't  read  ;  but  old  missus  teach 
me  many  good  hymns,  and  give  me  her  own  book, 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.       161 

and  me  love  to  feel  it  in  my  hands.'  'You  seem 
happy,  my  friend.'  *  Oh  yes,  massa ;  Nero  hab 
everyting  him  want,  it  ain't  much,  you  know ;  fore 
long,  old  nigger  he  sewed  up  in  hammock,  and  sunk 
into  deep  water.  Nero  don't  care  how  soon  Good 
Massa  in  heaven  please  take  him  home.' 

"'I  should  like  to  hear  a  history  of  your  life, 
Nero,  if  you  are  willing  to  take  the  trouble. '  *  Oh, 
massa,  old  tongue  love  talk ;  me  very  glad  tell  you.' 

"  I  must  give  it  you  in  my  own  language,  though 
it  will  lose  half  its  interest  in  the  translation. 

"  '  I  was  brought  from  the  old  country  so  young, 
that  I  recollect  none  of  the  circumstances  attending 
my  capture,  except  that  my  heart  was  nearly  broken 
by  having  a  pet  monkey  torn  from  my  arms  and 
thrown  into  the  sea.  I  do  not  remember  my  mother. 
I  lived,  with  several  other  little  ones  of  various  ages, 
on  a  plantation  near  New  Orleans.  We  were  well 
fed  and  not  overworked.  Here  I  remained  till  I 
must  have  been  about  thirty  years  of  age.  With  a 
rich  master  and  a  humane  overseer,  I  led  the  happy 
thoughtless  life  of  a  brute.  To  eat,  drink,  and  dance, 
to  sleep,  and  work,  was  all  I  cared  for.  I  never 
thought  of  death,  nor  of  another  world ;  indeed,  I 
was  in  total  ignorance  on  these  subjects.  At  that 
time  my  master  died,  and  his  property  being  divided 
14* 


162  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

amongst  his  heirs,  I  was  sold  to  a  gentleman  of  New 
Orleans.  Now  commenced  a  different  life :  I  learned 
to  know  what  hardships  meant.  My  master  had  a 
bad  set  of  slaves,  who  looked  upon  me  as  a  spy  and 
an  intruder.  I  was  constantly  accused  of  crimes  I 
had  never  committed,  and  my  master,  passionate  and 
cruel,  always  punished  me  with  the  greatest  severity. 
This  treatment  instead  of  crushing,  roused  my  spirit. 
I  determined  to  escape  at  all  hazards.  Providence 
favoured  my  plan.  My  master  was  elected  to  Con 
gress,  and  went  to  spend  the  winter  in  Washington. 
He  left  in  charge  of  his  household  a  man  who  had 
frequent  drunken  frolics,  when,  for  days  together,  he 
would  be  incapable  of  attending  to  his  business.  On 
one  of  these  occasions  on  which  he  had  taken  to  his 
bed,  and  the  other  servants  were  holding  a  revel  in  the 
kitchen,  I  tied  up  my  little  stock  of  clothing,  and 
stealing  out,  hurried  down  to  the  river.  Here  were 
vessels  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  I  inquired 
for  a  ship  bound  to  Boston,  for  I  had  heard  that 
there  a  negro  was  as  free  as  a  white  man.  Being 
directed  to  one,  I  went  on  board,  and  met  a  negro, 
who  told  me  he  was  a  free  man,  and  cook  of  the 
vessel.  Confiding  in  his  honest  countenance,  I  told 
him  my  troubles,  and  begged  him  to  conceal  me  in 
the  hold  till  the  ship  should  have  sailed.  He  con- 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  163 

sented,  and  taking  me  below,  had  secreted  me,  and 
made  every  arrangement  necessary  for  my  comfort 
able  subsistence,  before  the  officers  returned  on  board. 
We  sailed  the  next  day,  but  the  cook  did  not  discover 
me  to  the  captain  until  we  were  fairly  out  at  sea. 
Then  he  told  him,  with  fear  and  trembling ;  for  the 
captain  was  a  severe  man,  and  he  did  not  know  in 
what  light  he  would  look  upon  the  affair.  He  seemed 
very  angry  at  first,  but  after  he  had  called  me,  and 
had  heard  my  story,  he  relented  and  said,  "  Well, 
my  poor  fellow,  yours  is  a  hard  case,  to  be  sure ;  I 
suppose  I  must  not  throw  you  overboard  or  send  you 
back,  but  I  run  a  great  risk  in  taking  you  on." 

" '  In  a  week,  the  captain  was  taken  down  with 
the  yellow  fever.  The  other  officers  and  crew  were 
so  alarmed  as  to  be  unable  to  think  what  ought  to 
be  done ;  but  I  had  seen  much  of  the  disease,  and 
knew  the  remedies  usual  in  the  case.  The  mate  gave 
me  the  medicines  I  asked  for,  and  the  captain  was 
left  entirely  in  my  hands.  I  never  left  him  night  or 
day ;  for  forty-eight  hours  he  raved  with  delirium, 
and  appeared  to  be  unconscious  of  what  passed  around 
him  ;  but  if  I  left  his  side,  he  would  cry,  "  Where's 
Nero ;  don't  let  him  leave  me."  He  recovered,  and 
from  that  day  to  this,  he  says  I  saved  his  life.  This 
was  Captain  Black.  When  we  reached  Boston,  he 


164  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

took  me  to  his  home,  and  introduced  me  to  his  wife 
and  mother.  "  Here,"  he  says,  "  make  much  of  this 
fellow,  for  if  it  hadn't  been  for  him  you  would  never 
have  been  troubled  with  my  company  again."  And 
sure  enough  they  loaded  me  with  kindness ;  not  con 
tent  with  providing  every  comfort  for  my  body,  they 
cared  for  my  soul ;  they  first  taught  me  I  had  a  soul. 
They  sent  me  to  a  church  where  people  of  my  own 
colour  worshipped,  and  a  man  of  my  own  colour  was 
in  the  pulpit.  Ah,  it  made  me  proud  to  see  him 
read  from  the  good  book,  and  talk  and  pray  just  like 
a  white  man.  I  have  never  since  that  day  been 
ashamed  of  the  black  face  my  Maker  gave  me.  The 
Captain's  mother  tried  to  teach  me  to  read,  but  it 
was  of  no  use  ;  as  soon  as  I  became  familiar  with  one 
letter  I  forgot  the  last  I  had  been  taught.  Then  she 
would  read  to  me,  and  teach  me  verses  from  the  Bible, 
and  prayers  and  hymns.  Oh,  I  have  reason  to  bless 
God  that  I  was  stolen  from  my  native  land,  for  else 
I  should  never  have  known  the  blessed  truths  which 
make  me  happy  in  this  life,  and  happy  in  the  hope 
of  a  better  life  to  come.  I  have  sailed  with  Captain 
Black  ever  since  ;  he  don't  like  to  go  to  sea  without 
me.  Only  once  I  was  prevented  by  illness  from 
going  with  him,  and  on  that  voyage  his  ship  was 
wrecked,  and  every  soul  lost  but  himself.  I  am  quite 
.  -  - 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  165 

contented  at  sea ;  every  comfort  is  provided  for  me, 
and  all  on  board  are  kind.  *  But,  oh,'  said  he,  clasp 
ing  his  hands,  and  looking  upward  with  an  expres 
sion  of  the  liveliest  joy,  *  when  we  gets  home  to  old 
missus,  Nero  most  too  happy  den — he  all  but  in 
heaven.' 

"  Thus,  dear  Miss  Fanny,  have  I  given  you  the 
simple  tale  of  the  old  negro.  We  had  a  long  con 
versation  afterwards,  very  pleasant  and  profitable  to 
myself,  and  I  hope  to  him  also.  He  took  my  hand 
as  I  rose  to  leave  him,  and  said  earnestly,  '  Tank 
you,  Massa  Preacher,  tank  you  very  much.  Me 
pray  for  you  in  my  poor  talk  every  day  you  been  on 
ship  ;  me  pray  harder  now.'  ' 

3d.  Our  afternoon  exercises  are  delightful.  I 
like  the  Spanish  much  better  than  either  French  or 
Latin.  Mr.  Selden  was  going  to  give  us  to-day  a 
verb  to  commit ;  of  course  it  was  the  dry  old  verb  to 
be,  the  first  that  you  have  to  conjugate  in  every  lan 
guage.  "  Oh,  do  in  pity,"  said  I,  "  give  us  some 
more  interesting  verb — to  love,  for  instance.  I  am 
sure  we  can  learn  it  more  easily,  and  we  may  per 
haps  have  need  to  use  it  soon,  some  of  us.  It  is  the 
only  Latin  verb  I  remember,  though  I  went  through 
the  whole  grammar.  See  if  I  can't  repeat  it  now, 
Mr.  Selden.  Ego  amo,  I  love;  tu  amas,  thou  lovest" 


166  THE  EOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

(looking  at  Lucy);  "ille  amat,  lie  loves"  (nodding  at 
the  Colonel);  "nos  amamus,  we  love;  vos  amatis, 
you  love;  illi  amant,  they  love"  (inclining  my  head 
first  toward  the  Colonel,  then  toward  Lucy).  They 
all  laughed  except  Lucy,  and  she  kept  her  face  so 
resolutely  bent  over  her  exercise  that  it  was  only  by 
her  heightened  colour  I  could  tell  that  she  under 
stood  what  I  was  about. 

We  had  a  hearty  laugh  this  evening  over  an  anec 
dote  Colonel  Howard  read  us  from  a  number  of  Lit- 
tell's  Museum.  I  must  copy  it  for  you,  as  I  know 
you  have  never  met  with  it. 

"At  one  of  our  seaport  towns  there  stood  a  fort, 
on  the  outside  of  which  is  a  spacious  field,  overlook 
ing  a  delightful  prospect  of  land  and  water.  At  the 
time  we  are  speaking  of,  a  Major  Brown  was  com 
mandant  ;  and  his  family  being  fond  of  a  milk  diet, 
the  veteran  had  several  cows  that  pastured  in  the 
land  aforesaid.  A  sentry  was  placed  near  the  en 
trance,  part  of  whose  duty  it  was  to  prevent 
strangers  and  stray  cattle  from  trespassing  thereon. 
Upon  one  occasion,  an  Irish  marine,  a  stranger  to 
the  place,  was  on  guard  at  this  post;  and  having 
received  the  regular  orders  not  to  allow  any  one  to 
go  upon  the  grass  but  the  Major's  cows,  determined 
to  adhere  to  them  strictly.  He  had  not  been  long 


THE  ROMANCE  OP  THE  OCEAN.  167 

at  his  post  when  three  elegant  young  ladies  pre 
sented  themselves  at  the  entrance,  for  the  purpose 
of  taking  their  usual  evening  walk,  and  were  quickly 
accosted  by  the  marine  with  '  You  can't  go  there !' 

"  '  Oh,  but  we  may,'  uttered  the  ladies  with  one 
voice ;  '  we  have  the  privilege  to  do  so.' 

"'Privilege!'  repeated  the  sentry,  'fait  and  I 
don't  care  what  you  have,  but  ye  must  n't  go  there, 
I  tell  ye;  it's  Major  Brown's  positive  orders  to  the 
contrary.' 

"'Oh,  ay,  yes — we  know  that,'  said  the  eldest 
of  the  ladies  with  dignity,  '  but  we  are  Major 
Brown's  daughters.' 

"  '  Ah,  well  you  don't  go  in  there  then  anyhow,' 
exclaimed  Pat,  bringing  his  firelock  to  the  post. 
You  may  be  Major  Brown's  daughters,  but  you're 
not  Major  Brown's  cows  !' ' 

Captain  Parker  said  the  Irish  soldier  was  always 
remarkable  for  his  literal  observance  of  an  order,  and 
rigid  sense  of  duty,  never  in  any  instance  using  his 
private  judgment  to  evade  or  change  an  order,  when 
circumstances  would  seem  to  make  it  proper  or 
necessary.  He  said  the  anecdote  just  read  reminded 
him  of  a  somewhat  similar  case  that  occurred  many 
years  ago,  when  he  was  a  young  officer  on  duty  in 
Florida. 


168  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"We  were  in  a  small  picketed  work,  with  only 
one  company.  Being  in  constant  expectation  of  an 
attack  from  the  Indians,  every  precaution  was  used 
to  prevent  surprise.  Captain  Morgan,  who  was  in 
command,  issued  an  order  that  the  sentries,  after 
retreat,  should  on  no  account  suffer  any  person  to 
pass  without  the  countersign.  A  day  or  two  after 
the  Captain  and  myself  left  the  garrison  at  day 
light,  on  horseback,  to  visit  a  post  ten  miles  distant. 
Being  detained  there  longer  than  we  had  anticipated, 
it  was  nearly  ten  o'clock  at  night  before  we  reached 
the  first  outpost  of  our  own  sentries.  On  being  chal 
lenged,  Captain  Morgan  replied  as  usual,  'Officers 
of  the  post,'  and  was  about  to  pass  on.  '  Stand  a 
bit,'  said  an  Irish  tongue;  'whoever  you  be,  you 
don't  stir  a  step  furder  widout  the  countersign.' 
'Why,  sentinel,'  said  I,  'it's  the  commandant,  Cap 
tain  Morgan.  You  surely  know  his  voice ;  or  if  you 
don't,  you  know  that  we  are  officers  on  horseback.' 
'Maybe  I  do,  and  maybe  I  don't,  but  that's 
neither  here  nor  there,'  said  he  positively.  '  I 
know  the  order,  and  there  wasn't  nothin'  about 
Captain  Morgan  or  officers  of  the  post  in  it,  and  I 
ain't  a  goin'  to  be  court-martialled  for  nobody.  I'm 
sorry  for  it,  and  I  beg  your  honours'  pardons,  but  I 
wouldn't  let  mee  own  father  in  widout  the  word.' 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  169 

"'Well,  well,'  cried  the  Captain  impatiently, 
*  call  the  corporal  of  the  guard  directly,  for  I  shall 
be  frozen  if  I  am  kept  here  much. longer.' 

"  '  Corporal  of  the  Guard,  No.  4,'  cried  the  sentry 
several  times,  in  such  stentorian  tones  that  the 
whole  garrison  must  have  heard  him.  But  no  relief 
came.  'If  your  honours  would  take  my  advice,'  said 
the  sentinel,  'you'll  get  off  your  horses  and  walk 
about  to  keep  warm.  It's  fat  Corporal  Cranly  that's 
on  guard  to-night ;  and  if  he's  laid  down  for  a  nap, 
it's  no  joke  to  move  him.' 

" '  How  long  since  the  Lieutenant  made  his 
rounds  ?'  I  inquired. 

"  '  Jest  a  bit  afore  you  came,  sir,  and  it  '11  be  nigh 
on  to  two  hours  afore  he  comes,. again,  so  ye'd  best 
take  it  easy.  Ye're  welcome  to  my  watch-coat, 
Captain,  for  I  see  ye're  shiverin',  but  I  must  do  my 
duty.'  And  the  kind-hearted  fellow  actually  took 
off  his  coat,  and  assisted  the  Captain  to  put  it  on, 
who  was  so  thoroughly  chilled  by  the  night  air,  after 
riding  under  a  burning  sun,  that  he  could  not  decline 
the  offer.  The  sentry  continued  at  intervals  to  call 
the  corporal  of  the  guard,  but  without  effect;  and  we 
had  to  stand  there,  in  that  uncomfortable  situation, 
until  the  time  came  for  the  Lieutenant  to  visit  the 

outposts.     lie  was  not  a  little  astonished  to  find  us 

15 


170  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

there,  and  began  to  swear  at  the  sentinel  for  an  ob 
stinate  Irishman.  'Stop,  sir,'  said  the  Captain;  'if 
you  had  done  your  duty  as  faithfully  as  this  soldier, 
you  would  have  attended  to  his  first  call,  and  pre 
vented  all  this  difficulty.'  The  next  day  the  sleepy 
corporal  was  degraded  to  the  ranks,  and  the  Irish 
man  promoted  to  his  place." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Fanny  becomes  Weary  of  her  Journal — The  Cabin  Party  dull — 
Colonel  Howard  and  Lucy  especially  so — Some  Mystery  about 
it — Board  a  Deserted  Ship — Crew  Murdered  by  Pirates — One 
Survivor — His  Account  of  the  Horrible  Transaction — The 
Mystery  Explained. 

AUGUST  5th.  The  gentlemen  were  discussing  to 
day  the  pleasures  and  penalties  of  tobacco  chewing. 
Captain  Parker  is  the  only  one  of  the  company  who 
indulges  in  it  habitually;  but  him  you  seldom  see 
without  his  mouth  full  of  the  vile  stuff.  He  says 
that,  to  him,  there  is  no  suffering  equal  to  that  of 
being  deprived  of  tobacco.  Hunger  and  thirst — and 
he  has  felt  both  to  an  excessive  degree — are  nothing 
in  comparison.  He  says  he  has  seen  the  time, 
during  a  campaign  in  the  far  southwest,  when  they 
were  reduced  to  such  an  extremity,  that,  on  retiring 
to  their  blanket  at  night,  they  would  lay  their  only 
quid  out  on  a  stump  to  dry,  and  return  it  to  their 
mouths  in  the  morning. 


172  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

10th.  I  am  almost  ashamed  now  to  open  my 
writing-desk,  and  see  the  word  journal  staring  me  in 
the  face.  I  wish  I  had  never  given  it  that  title,  for 
there  is  nothing  save  the  day  of  the  month  now  and 
then  to  give  it  the  least  pretension  to  that  character. 
I  believe  I  have  not  written  a  line  for  a  week,  but  I 
am  determined  I  won't  turn  over  the  page  to  see  the 
last  date. 

Allow  me  to  excuse  myself,  in  the  words  used  by 
a  great  author  to  a  correspondent  whom  he  had 
neglected :  "  When  I  had  nothing  to  say,  it  was  not 
worth  while  to  write." 

I  am  getting  fidgety  and  impatient  as  we  draw 
near  to  the  end  of  our  voyage.  I  cannot  settle  my 
self  at  anything.  I  read  a  little,  and  study  a  little, 
and  romp  a  good  deal  with  any  one  I  can  press  into 
the  service.  "  To  nothing  fixed  but  love  of  change.'' 
I  made  Mr.  Selden  play  cat's-cradle  this  morning 
until  he  was  quite  perfect  in  it.  (I  only  acted 
parson's  wife  for  a  week — I  couldn't  stand  it  any 
longer.) 

llth.  I  think  something's  going  to  happen;  I 
don't  know  what,  and  I  don't  care  much,  so  it  re 
lieves  the  horrid  monotony  of  our  present  existence. 
I  went  rather  unceremoniously  into  Lucy's  state-room 
this  evening,  and  found  her  in  tears,  with  an  open 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  173 

letter  in  her  lap.  She  hurriedly  closed  it,  and  thrust 
it  into  her  dressing-box,  while  I,  embarrassed  by  my 
malapropos  visit,  asked  her  to  lend  me  a  needle, 
and  left  her.  I  don't  believe  it  was  an  old  letter — 
from  whom  could  it  be  ?  I  shall  have  to  wait,  I  sup 
pose,  until  time  gives  the  explanation.  Dear  me  ! 
time  is  so  slow  !  Who  said  "  As  rapid  as  the  flight 
of  time  ?"  Young,  I  believe,  or  one  of  those  tame  old 
souls,  who  had  never  been  three  months  on  shipboard, 
or  they  never  would  have  made  such  an  unfit  com 
parison. 

Ten  at  night.  I  was  glad  to  get  away  to  my  state 
room,  the  evening  has  been  so  dull  in  the  cabin. 
Colonel  Howard  is  uncommonly  silent  and  serious. 
Lucy  is  ill  at  ease,  and  certainly  paler  than  usual, 
while  Mrs.  Howard  frequently  regards  her  with  looks 
of  affectionate  anxiety.  Mr.  Selden  must  be  in  the 
secret,  whatever  it  is,  for  he  tries,  by  engaging  the 
rest  of  the  company  in  conversation,  to  keep  them 
from  noticing  with  too  curious  an  eye,  the  motions 
and  countenances  of  our  silent  friends. 

12th.  In  reading,  to-day,  I  was  struck  with  the 
following  lines  in  a  sonnet  on  Napoleon  : 

"  Triumphant  France  bears  home  her  mighty  brave, 
To  fill — oh  !  glorious  mockery — a  grave." 
15* 


174  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

I  do  not  know  why  it  is  that,  in  reading  Napoleon's 
history,  I  always  feel  myself  on  his  side,  and  wish 
him  success,  while  my  better  judgment  assures  me  that 
the  prominent  traits  in  his  character,  were  unalloyed 
selfishness,  unfeeling  and  deliberate  cruelty,  and  un 
principled  ambition.  What  a  lovely  contrast,  in 
every  point,  is  presented  in  the  character  of  Ame 
rica's  mighty  brave,  her  glorious  Washington.  His 
natural  disposition  being  domestic,  peace-loving,  and 
retiring,  he  shrank  not  from  a  public  encounter, 
with  the  toils  and  dangers  of  the  council,  and  the 
battle-field,  so  long  as  his  country  needed  his  ser 
vices.  But  widely  as  they  differed  in  their  sentiments, 
hopes,  and  aims, — their  military  and  political  career ; 
in  their  closing  days,  and  in  the  circumstances 
attending  their  death-beds,  the  contrast  was  still 
more  striking. 

Poor  fallen  Napoleon !  a  prisoner  in  a  strange 
land,  with  no  fond  friend  beside  his  couch  of  death 
to  whisper  words  of  sympathy  and  love,  exclaimed 
with  his  latest  breath,  "  Tete  de  I'arme'e!"  Truly 
this  was  "  the  ruling  passion  strong  in  death."  Re 
verse  the  picture. 

•  Washington,  in  his  own  beautiful  home,  in  the 
midst  of  a  nation  who  loved  and  revered  him,  had 
his  passage  to  the  tomb  rendered  easy  and  peaceful, 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  175 

by  all  the  offices  of  love  and  kindness  that  attached 
relatives  could  bestow.  Looking  around  on  these 
beloved  ones  with  a  sweet  smile  upon  his  noble 
features,  almost  his  last  words  were,  "  I  am  dying, 
but  I  am  not  afraid  to  die !" 

13th.  No  clew  yet  to  the  altered  demeanour  of 
my  friends.  When  I  asked  the  Colonel  what  made 
him  so  silent,  and  look  so  cross,  he  said  he  had  a 
severe  toothache.  I  didn't  believe  him  ;  but  just  to 
punish  him  for  the  fib,  I  went  to  father  and  got  a 
bitter  dose  of  laudanum  and  camphor,  and  made  him 
swallow  the  whole,  though  sorely  against  his  will. 

"  If  that  doesn't  relieve  you  in  ten  minutes,"  said 
I,  "  father  will  pull  the  tooth  out ;  he  is  bringing  his 
case  of  instruments  up  with  him." 

"  Oh !  it  is  decidedly  better — in  fact  it  is  quite  well !" 
said  the  Colonel,  so  quickly,  that  Mr.  Selden,  who  was 
the  only  person  within  hearing,  laughed  heartily. 

"Well,"  said  I,  "  as  my  prescription  has  had  such 
a  marvellous  effect  on  you,  I  think  I  will  try  it  on 
Lucy ;  she  has  the  same  symptoms  with  yourself,  ex 
cept  that  she  can't  look  cross  if  she  tries."  The 
Colonel  turned  an  appealing  look  to  Mr.  Selden, 
which  plainly  said,  "  In  mercy  stop  her." 

"Come,  Miss  Fanny,"  said  the  parson,  "there  is 
Mr.  Spencer  with  the  glass  to  his  eye ;  let  us  go  and 


176  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

see  what  lie  has  discovered."  I  saw  through  the  ma 
noeuvre,  but  allowed  myself  to  be  led  away,  because 
I  didn't  really  intend  to  annoy  Lucy,  but  only  to 
tease  Colonel  Howard.  Lucy,  dear  child,  is  quite  too 
much  afraid  of  me  already;  if  I  but  fix  my  eye  upon 
her,  and  open  my  mouth  to  speak,  she  colours  up  in 
an  instant. 

16th.  An  object  at  which  the  glass  was  frequently 
levelled  yesterday,  without  any  satisfactory  result, 
is  this  morning  quite  near  us.  It  is  a  vessel  appa 
rently  deserted,  though  not  a  wreck,  for  all  the  masts 
are  standing ;  yet  the  sails  are  loosened  and  flapping 
in  the  wind,  and  not  a  sign  of  life  is  discernible. 
The  Captain  has  sent  out  a  boat  to  examine  the 
strange  ship.  Mr.  Spencer  and  four  sailors,  with 
Colonel  Howard  as  a  volunteer,  compose  the  party. 
Lucy  and  I  watched  their  proceedings  through  the 
glass.  They  had  difficulty  in  reaching  the  deck,  for 
there  was  evidently  no  one  on  board  to  assist  them. 
After  many  efforts  they  succeeded  in  fastening  a 
rope  over  a  boom,  when  one  of  the  sailors  climbed 
up,  and  arranged  an  easier  mode  of  ascent  for  the 
rest.  After  a  considerable  time,  we  saw  them  lower 
ing  into  the  boat  the  body  of  a  man,  apparently  dead. 
Then  they  all  jumped  in,  and  rowed  hastily  back  to 
the  ship.  As  they  approached  us,  every  soul  on 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  177 

board  was  peering  anxiously  over  the  bulwarks.  The 
body  appeared  to  be  that  of  a  youth.  It  was  not 
dead,  however ;  the  eyes  were  open,  and  I  saw  his 
hands  move.  He  was  raised  to  the  deck  with  the 
greatest  care ;  and  while  Mr.  Spencer,  followed  by 
my  father,  had  him  conveyed  below,  Colonel  Howard 
gave  us  the  following  account  of  their  expedition : 

"  While  still  some  yards  from  the  ship,"  said  he, 
"  we  observed  a  very  offensive  smell ;  and  the  sailor 
who  first  gained  the  deck  cried,  in  a  tone  of  horror, 
'  Heavens  !  it  is  a  mass  of  dead  men !'  It  was  truly 
an  awful  sight  that  awaited  us,  and  the  sickening 
effluvia  almost  overpowering.  Six  bodies  lay  around, 
covered  with  frightful  wounds,  and  in  a  disgusting 
state  of  decomposition. 

"The  deck  was  black  with  dried  blood.  We  went 
below.  In  every  place  were  traces  of  some  awful 
transaction.  Pools  of  dried  blood,  fragments  of 
clothing,  and  broken  weapons,  indicated  the  violence 
of  the  struggle.  At  length,  in  a  dark  corner  of  the 
cabin,  we  found  the  poor  lad  we  have  brought  away 
with  us.  When,  with  some  difficulty,  we  aroused  him 
into  partial  consciousness,  in  a  faint  voice  he  mur 
mured,  'Friends?'  'Yes;  what  can  we  do  for  you?' 

"'Water,'  he  gasped.  I  had  none;  but  having 
happily  put  a  flask  of  brandy  in  my  pocket,  I 


178       THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

poured  a  little  down  his  throat.  It  revived  him  sur 
prisingly,  so  that  he  could  now  speak  without  much 
effort.  'What  is  the  meaning  of  all  we  see  ?'  said  I. 
'Pirates.'  'Are  you  the  only  one  left  alive?'  'Yes, 
I  am  alone.  Give  me  water — food — I  am  dying 
from  hunger.' 

"  I  saw  that  it  was  necessary  to  have  immediate 
aid,  for  life  was  nearly  extinct.  With  all  possible 
speed  we  got  him  into  the  boat.  I  gave  him  brandy 
repeatedly,  as  we  rowed  across  the  short  space  be 
tween  the  vessels. 

"  If  the  Doctor  succeeds  in  restoring  the  boy,  we 
shall  be  able  in  a  few  days  to  hear  the  story  from  his 
own  lips." 

"If  I  be  I,  as  I  suppose  I  be,"  I  am  greatly 
changed  from  the  brave-hearted  girl  that  left  dear 
New  York  some  three  months  since.  Why,  I  am 
the  veriest  coward  that  ever  was  born  on  American 
soil.  If  a  dark  cloud  frowns  upon  us,  or  the  breeze 
but  freshens  a  little,  my  heart  throbs  and  my  cheek 
turns  pale  with  apprehensions  of  a  coming  storm. 

And  now  that  bloody  deck,  those  mangled  bodies, 
that  emaciated  boy,  with  nothing  save  death  to  dis 
tinguish  him  from  the  dead, — these  thoughts  destroy 
for  ever  the  veil  of  romance  that  my  foolish,  un 
curbed  imagination  had  thrown  around  the  character 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  179 

of  the  pirate.  I'll  never,  while  I  live,  sing  "I'm 
Afloat,"  heretofore  my  favourite  song.  How  shall  I 
get  home  again,  to  my  far  off,  happy,  secure  home  ? 
Undertake  this  voyage  a  second  time  I  would  not,  if 
the  vessel  were  freighted  with  hard  gold,  and  it  were 
to  be  all  my  own,  on  condition  of  my  sailing  in  her. 

Captain  Black  sent  a  party  over  to  the  deserted 
ship,  to  scuttle  her,  I  think  they  call  it :  that  means,  to 
bore  holes  in  the  bottom,  that  she  may  fill  with  water 
and  sink.  I  asked  Mr.  Spencer  if  they  would  bring 
away  the  sails  and  other  articles  of  value  that  re 
mained  in  her.  "No,  indeed,"  said  he;  "you  could 
not  find  a  sailor  who  would  abstract  a  nail  from  a 
vessel  in  such  a  condition.  He  would  be  sure  that 
bad  luck  would  follow  him  to  the  end  of  his  days." 

"We  watched  the  lonely  ship  for  hours,  as  inch  by 
inch  she  settled  in  the  water.  Now  and  then  it 
would  tremble,  as  if  a  shiver  ran  through  its  huge 
frame  at  the  prospect  of  its  approaching  fate.  It 
reminded  me  of  a  diseased  and  suffering  human 
being,  who  clings  to  life  with  a  tenacity  unaccount 
able  to  those  around,  to  whom  it  seems  that  death 
should  be  by  him  hailed  as  a  deliverer. 

Suddenly  we  were  startled  by  a  tremendous  ex 
plosion,  which  burst  forth  from  the  hold ;  and  when 
the  smoke  had  cleared  away,  only  some  floating 


180  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

planks  and  spars  remained  of  the  mighty  fabric, 
which  had  been  the  scene  of  this  horrid  tragedy. 
The  sailors  had  affixed  a  slow  match  to  a  barrel  of 
gunpowder  found  in  the  hold  of  the  ship. 

16th.  The  boy  is  better  to-day.  Father  thinks 
he  will  certainly  recover.  He  was  not  wounded,  but 
dying  of  starvation.  He  would  kill  himself  with 
eating,  if  he  were  not  watched;  but  he  is  only 
allowed  a  little  barley-water  or  weak  broth. 

The  excitement  of  the  last  two  days,  or  some 
other  cause  not  discoverable  by  me,  has  cleared  the 
cloud  from  Lucy's  fair  brow,  and  restored  to  Colonel 
Howard  his  accustomed  cheerful,  social  tempera 
ment.  I  don't  know  why  the  mental  barometer  of 
my  friends  should  influence  my  spirits,  but  sure  I 
am,  it  is  the  case.  Though  they  didn't  choose  to 
trust  me  with  their  secret,  I  felt  obliged  to  sym 
pathize  at  random,  not  knowing  whether  they  were 
suffering  from  headache,  toothache,  or  heartache. 
As  a  famous  western  hunter  once  said,  on  being 
rallied  for  missing  an  animal  he  had  fired  at,  "I 
wasn't  quite  sure  whether  it  was  a  deer  or  a  hog ;  so 
I  took  my  aim  with  the  intention  of  hitting  it  if  it 
should  be  a  deer,  or  missing  it  if  it  should  be  a  hog." 

Lucy  sang  this  evening  one  of  the  sweetest  songs 
of  home  I  ever  listened  to.  It  brought  tears  to 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  181 

every  eye.  She  permitted  me  to  copy  the  lines. 
She  sings  them  to  your  favourite  air  of  "The 
Watcher." 

"HOME. 

"  What  is  that  sound  of  sweetness, 
That  thrills  the  wanderer's  breast, 
And  brings,  with  magic  fleetness, 
Fond  thoughts  of  peace  and  rest  ? 
What  is  that  word  of  gladness, 
Which  o'er  the  heart  doth  come, 
With  mingled  joy  and  sadness? 

'Tis  home,  sweet  home ! 

"  Oh,  touching  is  the  feeling, 
When  scenes  of  days  long  past, 
Upon  the  memory  stealing, 
Their  vivid  image  cast. 
Tho'  cares  are  gathering  o'er  ua, 
As  far  and  wide  we  roam, 
Yet  hope  is  still  before  us, 

At  home,  dear  home ! 

"And  why  is  home  thus  pleasant? 
Why  should  that  single  sound 
Bring  future,  past,  and  present, 
In  one  bright  chain  around  ? 
Because,  in  fond  connexion 
With  it,  in  idea  come 
Those  objects  of  affection 

At  home,  dear  home ! 
16 


182  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"  Because  our  childish  hours 
Were  spent  beneath  its  shade  ; 
Around  its  verdant  bowers, 
And  by  its  streams  we  played. 
Sweet  hours  of  youthful  pleasure, 
That  never  more  can  come, 
Your  memory  still  we  treasure, 

At  home !  dear  home ! 

"If  to  an  earthly  dwelling 
The  heart  thus  closely  folds, 
What  feelings  should  be  swelling 
Towards  that  which  heaven  unfolds? 
The  weary  thence  shall  never 
Again  be  forced  to  roam, 
But  be  at  rest  for  ever, 

At  home,  blest  home!" 

O'Connor  showed  much  emotion  during  the  sing 
ing,  and  left  the  room  as  soon  as  it  was  ended. 
Father,  taking  off  his  spectacles  to  wipe  his  eyes,  said, 
"  Miss  Lucy,  my  dear,  I  hope  that  is  not  original ; 
you  are  too  young  to  have  felt  so  deeply."  "No," 
replied  Lucy;  "they  were  written  by  a  young  and 
lovely  aunt  of  mine,  who  married  a  clergyman,  and 
went  with  him  to  the  West,  far  away  from  her  home 
and  friends.  She  wrote  these  lines  a  short  time 
after  her  marriage,  and  a  few  months  later  was  taken 
to  the  '  blest  home'  mentioned  in  the  last  verse." 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  183 

18th.  William  Mason,  the  sailor  boy,  gave  father 
his  history  to-day.  We  were  obliged  to  be  satisfied 
with  hearing  it  second-hand ;  father  making  the  very 
flattering  remark,  that  he  would  be  afraid  to  trust 
him  for  a  week  yet  in  the  presence  of  the  ladies,  for 
they  would  be  sure  to  talk  him  into  a  fever. 

"The  vessel  was  an  American  one,  which  left 
Panama  on  the  first  of  August,  bound  for  Boston. 
They  had  on  board  a  captain,  mate,  and  twelve  men. 
The  night  of  the  tenth  was  cold  and  wet ;  and  being 
in  an  open  sea,  the  captain  fearing  nothing,  allowed 
every  man  to  go  below  but  the  man  at  the  wheel.  It 
is  probable  he  fell  asleep,  for  William  says  he  knew 
nothing  until  he  was  awakened  by  the  report  of  fire 
arms  ;  and  by  the  shouts,  oaths,  and  other  noises,  he 
was  aware  that  there  was  ugly  work,  as  he  said,  on 
deck.  It  was  daylight ;  and  peeping  cautiously  out 
of  his  hammock,  he  saw  that  he  was  alone. 

"  Having  no  weapon  at  hand,  and  feeling  that  he 
could  be  of  no  service,  he  consulted  his  own  safety, 
and  seeing  an  open  hogshead,  which  was  about  half 
filled  with  sea-biscuit,  he  climbed  in,  and  scratching 
them  away  until  he  got  to  the  bottom,  he  disposed 
them  over  his  head,  so  as  to  effectually  conceal  him, 
while  still  allowing  him  space  to  breathe.  He  thinks 
the  fighting  must  have  continued  an  hour ;  after  that 


184  THE  KOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

he  could  only  distinguish  hasty  footsteps,  loud  voices, 
and  occasionally  a  groan.  Then  some  men  entered 
the  part  of  the  vessel  where  William  lay  in  conceal 
ment.  They  appeared  to  be  searching  in  every 
corner,  and  one  man  even  thrust  his  hand  into  Wil 
liam's  hiding-place,  and  taking  up  a  biscuit,  began 
to  eat  it.  '  Confound  you,'  said  a  comrade,  *  you're 
mighty  cool.  It's  a  pretty  morning's  work,  ain't  it, 
to  murder  a  dozen  men,  and  all  for  nothing,  too  !  I 
don't  wonder  it  gives  you  an  appetite,  you  Spanish 
blood-hound.  Where's  the  gold  you  promised  we'd 
find  ?  I'd  like  to  see  the  first  grain  of  it.  If  I  do 
sell  my  soul  to  old  Nick,  and  I  reckon  he's  pretty 
sure  of  it  now,  I  want  to  get  a  good  price  for  it.' 

"  The  brute  he  addressed,  answered  by  a  mocking 
laugh,  and  some  words  in  Spanish,  which  William 
did  not  understand.  In  a  few  minutes  the  men  left 
the  cabin,  and  again  he  heard  three  or  four  shots 
fired  on  the  deck,  and  loud  laughter,  but  no  sounds 
that  would  indicate  resistance. 

"  He  supposes  they  were,  by  way  of  amusement, 
firing  at  the  wounded,  whom  they  found  still  living. 
He  listened  eagerly  for  their  departure  from  the 
vessel,  and,  after  a  time,  heard  the  sound  of  oars  and 
of  voices  becoming  more  and  more  indistinct,  until 
they  ceased  entirely.  But  he  still  feared  to  leave 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  185 

his  shelter,  and  actually  remained  in  that  position 
until  he  knew  that  night  had  come  on.  Then  he 
crept  cautiously  out  and  stole  on  deck.  The  moon 
had  just  risen  on  a  scene  that  no  pen  could  fully  de 
scribe,  in  all  its  horrors.  Six  of  his  late  companions 
lay  in  their  blood,  just  as  they  were  found  afterward 
by  our  party.  He  threw  one  glance  around,  and, 
unable  to  bear  more,  ran  down  into  the  officers'  cabin. 
The  floor  was  wet  and  slippery,  he  fell  forward,  and, 
using  his  hands  to  raise  himself,  felt  that  they  were 
covered  with  blood.  He  must  then  have  fainted,  for 
when  he  again  opened  his  eyes  it  was  broad  daylight. 
The  stains  upon  the  floor,  and  the  arms  strewed 
around,  showed  that  here  had  commenced  the  deadly 
strife.  In  the  cabin  was  a  little  wine  and  a  few 
biscuits.  These  William  consumed  in  a  day  or  two, 
and  then  felt  that  he  must  die  of  starvation ;  for  he 
chose  that,  rather  than  again  to  encounter  the  fearful 
sight  on  deck,  which  he  must  have  done  in  order  to 
gain  the  hold  where  water  and  provisions  were 
stored. 

"  He  knows  not  how  long  he  lay  there  in  a  state 
of  half  consciousness,  before  he  was  found  by  our 
friends.  He  says,  when  some  one  raised  his  hand 
to  ascertain  if  there  were  signs  of  life,  he  dreamed 
that  he  had  just  died,  and  that  his  spirit  had  been 
16* 


186  THE  EOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

met  at  the  gate  of  Heaven  by  his  mother,  who, 
taking  his  hand,  said,  '  You  are  weary,  my  son,  with 
your  journey  through  the  dark  valley  ;  come,  I  will 
lead  you  to  the  Fountain  of  Life.'  With  the  super 
stition  so  natural  to  the  sailor,  he  cannot  be  persuaded 
but  that  his  mother  is  dead,  although  his  only  reason 
for  thinking  so  is  this  dream." 

20th.  William  was  brought  on  deck  to-day,  and 
placed  on  one  of  the  sofas.  I  had  first  to  promise 
father  that  I  wouldn't  open  my  mouth  to  the  boy, 
but  let  Mrs.  Howard  and  Lucy  amuse  and  pet  him.  I 
wonder  if  father  will  ever  allow  that  I  have  reached 
the  age  of  discretion.  If  I  don't  remember  this  when 
we  get  to  housekeeping  together,  and  make  him  pay 
for  it  too,  it  will  be  funny  !  After  dinner,  when  he 
likes  me  to  amuse  him  with  my  light  chat,  I'll  not 
speak  a  word,  and  in  the  evening,  when  he  is  drowsy 
and  wants  to  take  a  nap  in  his  easy  chair,  I'll  talk, 
talk,  talk,  as  hard  as  I  can. 

William  is  pale  and  thin,  as  you  may  suppose,  but 
he  has  a  fine  face,  and  is  a  sensible,  well-educated 
youth.  Mr.  Selden  takes  quite  a  liking  to  him,  be 
cause,  as  he  says,  he  is  a  Boston  boy,  like  himself. 

This  afternoon,  just  after  dinner,  I  was  seated 
under  the  awning  with  a  book  in  my  hand,  trying  to 
read,  but  really  asleep  half  the  time.  The  rest  of 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  187 

our  party  regularly  retire  to  their  berths  for  an  hour 
in  the  afternoon,  but  I  disapprove  of  the  custom,  as  too 
great  a  waste  of  time.  When  I  made  such  a  remark 
one  day,  Captain  Parker  asserted  that  I  slept  fully 
as  long  in  my  chair  as  they  in  their  berths,  and  asked 
where  was  the  difference,  except  that  my  nap  was  the 
least  comfortable.  "A  vast  difference,  Captain," 
said  I;  "I  sit  down  with  the  honest  intention  of 
spending  an  hour  profitably."  ("  Yes,"  said  the 
Colonel,  aside,  "profitably,  over  James's  last  in  your 
lap."  I  took  no  notice  of  the  invidious  remark,  but 
continued,)  "  If  I  fall  to  sleep,  I  cannot  help  it ;  it's 
not  my  fault,  it's  a  misfortune  for  which  I  am  not 
responsible ;  but  you,  on  the  other  hand,  deliberately 
plan  to  throw  away  an  hour  of  your  time.  There  is 
just  as  much  difference,  in  my  opinion,  as  between  a 
murder  committed  by  accident,  and  one  perpetrated 
Avith  malice  prepense."  Father  was  deep  in  Malte- 
Brun,  when  I  commenced  speaking,  but  as  I  pro 
ceeded,  he  laid  down  his  book,  and  looked  at  me 
through  his  spectacles  with  ludicrous  astonishment. 
The  Chaplain  smiled,  and  whispered  softly,  "  Is  Saul 
also  among  the  Prophets  ?" 

But  this  is  not  what  I  was  going  to  tell  you  at  all. 
I  wish  there  were  some  way  of  anchoring  the  mind 
down  to  a  given  subject,  so  that  it  could  not  get 


188  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

away  until  you  gave  it  leave.  I  sometimes  am  ready 
to  doubt  my  own  sanity,  for  I  commence  on  some 
thing  I  want  to  say,  and  before  I  am  aware,  I  am 
flying  off  at  a  tangent,  the  dear  knows  how  far,  at 
the  imminent  risk  .of  never  getting  back  again  to  my 
proper  orbit.  There  it  is  again  !  shall  I  ever  be  able 
to  tell  a  straightforward  story  !  I  should  like  to 
see  myself  in  a  witness-box.  Wouldn't  I  puzzle  a 
lawyer  as  much  as  ever  that  relation  of  Cousin  Sally 
Dillard  did  ! 

Well !  as  I  was  sitting  alone,  half  asleep,  as  I  said, 
Colonel  Howard  came  on  deck  and  joined  me.  Some 
thing  in  his  looks  puzzled  and  a  little  alarmed  me. 
I  could  not  tell  what  was  coming.  If  he  had  been  a 
lover  of  mine,  now,  I  should  have  known  by  instinct 
that  the  crisis  had  come,  and  that  he  was  about  to 
put  the  awful  question.  But  as  it  was,  I  could  not 
guess  the  object  of  his  seeking  me  with  such  evident 
agitation  and  embarrassment  in  his  manner.  I  did 
not  try  to  help  him  on  by  a  leading  question,  but 
kept  my  eyes  fixed  with  eager  curiosity  on  his  face. 
After  an  awkward  silence,  he  commenced :  "  Miss 
Fanny,  I  have  a  secret  for  you !" 

"  A  secret !  Oh,  dear  Colonel,  do  tell  me ;  I  can 
keep  it  for  ever,  if  necessary." 

"  I  will  not  put  your  friendship  to  so  severe  a  test ; 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.       189 

keep  it  for  one  hour,  and  the  world  may  know  it,  with 
my  free  consent.  I  am  going  to  he  married !" 

"  Married  !  and  to  dear  Lucy  ?" 

"  Yes,  she  has  at  length  consented,  after  a  severe 
struggle  hetween  what  she  considered  duty  on  the 
one  hand,  and  inclination  (as  I  hope)  on  the  other. 
My  arguments,  warmly  seconded  hy  my  mother,  have 
prevailed,  and  the  ceremony  will  be  performed  at 
three  o'clock  this  afternoon." 

"  Does  Captain  Parker  know  ?" 

"  Yes ;  he  was  early  consulted,  and  has  acted 
handsomely.  He  readily  yields  any  claim  on  Lucy's 
movements  that  her  engagement  may  have  given 
him." 

"  And  Mrs.  Parker,  what  of  her  ?" 

"  My  mother  has  just  gone  to  break  it  to  her.  I 
dread  an  explosion  there,  I  confess,  and  am  sure  it 
is  the  same  expectation  that  agitates  Lucy  so  much. 
I  came  to  send  you  down  to  her ;  you  will,  I  hope, 
be  able  to  calm  her." 

"  Well,  I'll  do  my  best,"  said  I,  jumping  up. 
"  But,  you  cruel  man,  why  couldn't  you  have  given 
me  a  little  longer  notice  ?  I'm  sure  I  have  not  a 
white  dress  fit  to  put  on,  and  what  Lucy  means  to 
wear  I  can't  imagine ;  I  don't  wonder  she's  pouting 
about  it." 


190  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"That,"  he  replied,  "would  be  the  last  thing  in 
Lucy's  thoughts  at  such  a  time,  I  am  very  certain, 
and  I  don't  see  why  you  should  care  for  your  dress. 
I  shall  be  the  only  young  gentleman  present,  and 
you  won't  expect  much  notice  from  me  under  the 
circumstances." 

"  So  you  will  marry  yourselves  after  the  Quaker 
fashion  ?" 

"  No ;  Mr.  Selden  of  course  will  perform  the  cere 
mony." 

"  Mr.  Selden  !  well,  let  me  assure  you,  sir,  that  I 
consider  Mr.  Selden  well  worth  pleasing.  He's  a 
great  deal  handsomer,  and  somewhat  younger  too, 
than  some  persons  I  could  mention." 

"  Oh  !  Fanny,  Fanny !  Why,  can't  you  be  serious 
for  once  ?" 

"  Fanny  !  well  really,  you  take  upon  yourself  the 
airs  of  a  married  man  rather  soon.  I  shall  go  to 
Lucy  now,  and  coax  her  to  put  off  this  affair  until 
we  can  send  to  the  States  for  a  proper  outfit,  and 
have  a  military  wedding,  all  in  style." 

I  ran  below,  and  burst  into  Lucy's  apartment  with 
a  smile  on  my  face,  and  a  light  word  upon  my  lip ; 
but  my  first  glance  at  the  dear  girl  changed  the  cur 
rent  of  my  feelings,  and,  instead  of  trying  to  quiet 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.       191 

her,  I  threw  my  arms  around  her,  and  joined  my 
tears  with  hers.  She  was  the  first  to  speak. 

"  Oh,  Fanny,  am  I  acting  justly,  honourably  ? 
would  my  mother  approve  my  conduct?  I  am  so 
afraid  my  feelings  have  blinded  my  judgment." 

"  Dear  Lucy,  be  assured  your  mother  will  heartily 
approve  of  all  you  have  done.  Trust  Mrs.  Howard 
entirely.  You  know,  although  the  Colonel's  judg 
ment  might  have  been  influenced  by  his  wishes,  his 
mother  would  not,  even  for  his  sake,  advise  you  to 
anything  improper." 

"  Mrs.  Howard  is  so  kind,  so  generous,  I  cannot 
answer  or  resist  her  arguments.  But  consider  my 
engagement  with  Captain  Parker.  Have  I  a  right 
to  break  it?" 

"  Yes,  with  his  consent,  which  has  been  freely 
given.  As  to  his  wife,  don't  waste  a  thought  on  her ; 
she  dare  not  make  any  open  opposition." 

"  I  hope,"  said  Lucy,  "she  will  not  be  present  at 
the  ceremony ;  I  could  not  bear  to  see  her  just  now." 

"You  need  not  look  at  her  until  you  are  Mrs. 
Colonel  Howard,  and  then  you  will  rank  her,  you 
know,  and  it  will  be  condescension  in  you  to  notice 
her  at  all.  Oh  !  it  will  be  such  fun  to  see  Xantippe 
obliged  to  play  the  polite  and  amiable  to  the  com 
manding  officer's  lady." 


192  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"Oh!  Fanny!"  said  Lucy,  sighing,  "how  can 
you  talk  so  lightly  of  it;  how  differently  I  feel." 

"  That's  because  you  are  too  good  for  this  world. 
I  shouldn't  wonder  some  day  to  see  you  suspended, 
like  Mahomet's  coffin,  between  heaven  and  earth,  as 
unsuited  to  the  one,  and  not  quite  ready  for  the  other. 
But  Lucy,  dear  child,  are  you  really  going  to  be  mar 
ried  in  the  same  dress  you  wore  at  dinner  ?  I  never 
heard  of  such  a  thing  in  civilized  life.  I  scared  your 
Colonel  half  to  death  just  now,  by  representing  the 
impossibility  of  the  thing  being  done  lawfully,  with 
out  a  reinforcement  to  our  wardrobe." 

"  In  truth,  I  never  thought  of  it,  Fanny ;  I  will 
leave  the  matter  to  you.  Will  you  be  my  bridesmaid, 
and  dress  me  according  to  your  own  pleasure  ?" 

"Yes,  indeed  I  will,  and  Colonel  Howard  shall 
invite  Mr.  Spencer  to  be  my  partner,  and  we'll  have 
a  wedding  after  all.  I  do  hate  this  stealing  into 
matrimony  like  a  mouse  into  a  trap.  It  will  not 
sound  so  badly  either,  in  the  newspaper  announce 
ment  :  Married,  in  the  ship  Wildfire,  in  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  latitude  so  and  so,  longitude  so  and  so.  I 
declare,  I  quite  like  the  idea,  it  is  so. odd." 

I  saw  that  my  object  was  attained ;  this  light  chat 
was  wiling  Lucy's  mind  away  from  the  sad  thoughts 
in  which  she  had  been  indulging.  I  searched  her 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  193 

trunks  for  the  prettiest  dress ;  and  arranging  her 
hair  in  its  most  becoming  style,  declared  myself 
satisfied  with  the  result. 

"Now,"  said  I,  "you  must  go  with  me  until 
I  make  my  toilet ;  for  if  I  leave  you  alone,  you  may 
get  the  blues  again,  and  I  consider  myself  pledged 
for  your  good  behaviour." 

I  wrote  a  line  to  the  Colonel,  telling  him  we  would 
be  ready  in  half  an  hour,  and  asking  him  to  let  Mr. 
Spencer  know  what  was  expected  of  him.  I  was 
soon  dressed,  and  we  sat  conversing  together,  until 
we  heard  a  tap  at  my  door.  It  was  Mrs.  Howard. 

"  We  are  waiting  for  you,  my  dear  girls,"  said  she, 
cheerfully.  "  Here,  Mr.  Spencer,  you  and  Fanny 
go  in  first." 

I  took  my  partner's  arm,  and  saw  that  the  Colonel 
was  just  behind  us.  Mr.  Selden  was  ready  with 
his  gown  and  book,  and  commenced  the  service  as 
soon  as  we  had  taken  our  stations.  I  saw  it  had 
been  contrived  that  there  should  be  no  delay,  no 
opportunity  for  Lucy  to  be  agitated  by  surrounding 
circumstances.  It  was  well  thought  of.  I  feared,  as 
it  was,  she  would  be  hardly  able  to  go  through  with  it. 

She  became  so  deadly  pale  that  I  passed  my  arm 
around  her  waist,  supposing  she  was  going  to  faint ; 
but  she  did  not.  She  made  the  necessary  responses 

17 


194  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

in  a  low,  clear  voice,  and  did  not  shed  a  tear  until  it 
was  all  over,  when  Mrs.  Howard,  putting  her  arms 
around  her,  kissed  her  cheek  so  tenderly,  saying, 
"  My  daughter,  my  dear  daughter  !" 

Lucy  upon  this  burst  into  tears,  and  I  cried  too, 
and  then  laughed,  and  the  Colonel  tried  to  say  some 
thing,  but  didn't  know  what,  and  we  were  as  foolish 
a  looking  party  as  you  ever  saw,  until  little  George 
Parker,  who  had  surveyed  the  whole  scene  in  asto 
nishment,  cried  out,  "  Father,  what  is  Miss  Lucy 
crying  about  ?  The  Colonel  sha'n't  take  her,  if  she 
don't  want  him  to,  shall  he  ?" 

A  general  laugh  relieved  the  awkwardness  of  the 
company.  I  blessed  the  little  rogue  for  his  timely 
aid,  and  vowed  him  a  bag  of  sugar-plums  on  the 
first  opportunity. 

Mrs.  Parker  was  not  present.  "How  did  she  take 
it?"  whispered  I  to  Mrs.  Howard. 

"  Not  well,  as  you  may  believe.  Indeed,  her  vio 
lence  frightened  me.  She  talked  of  being  shame 
fully  treated,  deceived,  insulted  by  Lucy,  by  my  son, 
by  her  husband.  I  tried  to  reason  with  her,  but 
without  effect.  I  left  her,  and  begged  my  son  to  go 
and  talk  with  her.  I  told  him  she  must  be  quieted 
before  we  could  expect  Lucy  to  comply  with  our 
wishes ;  that  it  would  be  cruel  to  allow  the  dear  child 


THE  KOMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  195 

to  suffer  from  her  violence.  I  did  not  accompany 
him  to  Mrs.  Parker's  state-room ;  I  shrank  from  a 
repetition  of  a  scene  I  had  just  witnessed.  In  about 
fifteen  minutes  he  came  out,  and  told  me,  with  a 
smile,  that  the  storm  had  blown  over.  *  She  will  offer 
no  opposition,'  said  he ;  '  indeed  she  professes  that 
she  saw  how  it  would  be  from  the  first,  and  is  ex 
ceedingly  gratified  that  she  should  have  been  the 
means  of  my  obtaining  such  an  estimable  companion, 
one  who  will  be  the  ornament  and  pride  of  any  garri 
son,  &c.'  ' 

"Why,  the  Colonel  is  a  perfect  Van  Amburgh," 
I  cried.  "  I  wish  I  could  have  seen  the  process  of 
taming  the  tigress ;  it  would  have  exceeded  any  ex 
hibition  in  a  menagerie.  Wouldn't  he  tell  you,  Mrs. 
Howard,  whether  it  was  gold  or  threats  he  em 
ployed?" 

"  No,  Fanny ;  I  didn't  urge  him  on  the  subject. 
He  pities  the  Captain  so  much  that  he  will  not  un 
necessarily  expose  the  failings  of  his  wife." 

The  hours  until  tea-time  passed  very  pleasantly. 
Lucy  was  quite  herself  again,  and  Colonel  Howard 
of  course  more  entertaining  than  usual.  Mrs.  How 
ard  looked  the  proudest  and  happiest  of  mothers. 
Seated  close  by  Lucy,  with  her  hand  often  placed 
caressingly  on  her  shoulder,  almost  every  sentence 


196  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

she  spoke  commenced  or  ended  with  "my  daughter." 
I  had  been  seated  by  her  other  side,  but  after  a  time 
rose  and  changed  my  seat,  saying  poutingly,  "  Mrs. 
Howard  is  so  elated  with  her  new  acquisition,  that 
she  hasn't  a  thought  to  bestow  on  poor  me." 

"  Oh,  Fanny  dear,  come  back,"  she  cried,  really 
believing  me  as  much  hurt  as  I  pretended.  "  You 
are  also  my  daughter  in  affection ;  I  wish  I  had  an 
other  son,  to  make  you  so  in  reality." 

"  I  am  very  glad  you  have  not,  then,  Mrs.  How 
ard,"  said  Mr.  Selden;  "it  would  be  injustice  to  the 
community  for  one  family  to  monopolize  two  such 
treasures." 

Such  a  compliment !  and  from  the  Parson,  too ! 
I  knew  it  was  all  a  joke,  but  I  couldn't  help  feeling 
foolishly;  and,  what  was  worse,  I  was  conscious  that 
I  showed  it. 

When  the  supper  bell  called  us  below,  there  we 
found  Mrs.  Parker,  standing  in  awful  dignity,  wait 
ing  for  a  presentation  to  the  bride.  She  reminded 
me,  as  she  looked  so  cold  and  immovable,  of  the 
pillar  of  salt  into  which  Lot's  wife  was  converted, 
though,  to  be  sure,  not  quite  so  tall  as  that  column 
is  said  to  be  at  the  present  day. 

Colonel  Howard,  in  a  graceful  but  formal  manner, 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  197 

led  Lucy  towards  her,  and  bowing,  said,  "Mrs. 
Parker,  my  wife,  Mrs.  Howard." 

Lucy  half  extended  her  hand,  but  the  statue  had 
no  idea  of  such  familiarity.  Curtsying,  so  as  to 
draw  herself  still  farther  back,  she  muttered  "  con 
gratulate,"  and  "happiness,"  &c.,  to  which  the  party 
addressed  replied  by  a  bow,  and  then  all  turned  to 
the  table. 

"If  Mrs.  Parker,"  whispered  I  to  Mr.  Selden, 
"had  been  in  the  palace  of  Truth  while  making  those 
pretty  compliments,  she  would  have  said  instead  '  I 
wish  you  were  both  in  the  bottom  of  the  Red  Sea.'  ' 

"Perhaps  so,"  he  replied,  smiling  sadly;  "but 
could  any  of  us,  Miss  Fanny,  stand  such  a  test? 
Do  we  not  continually  express  sentiments  and  use 
phrases  that  are  at  variance  with  our  true  feelings?" 

"We  do,  indeed,"  said  I,  "and  I  am  sorry  for  the 
unkind  remark.  I  am  sure  no  one  would  be  more 
unfitted  for  such  an  atmosphere  than  myself,  who 
say  so  many  things  that  I  do  not  think,  and  talk  so 
much  without  thinking  at  all." 


17* 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Amusing  Anecdotes — Speak  a  Vessel  with  Despatches  from  the 
United  States — Harriet  made  happy  by  a  Letter  from  Home — 
A  Distressing  Occurrence  saddens  every  Heart — Voyage  draws 
to  a  Close  with  great  Sorrow  in  the  Parker  Family — Anchor 
off  Monterey,  September  2d,  1849. 

AUGUST  21st.  Colonel  Howard  to-day,  in  giving 
Lucy  a  description  of  the  domestics  belonging  to 
his  establishment,  mentioned  an  Irish  servant,  who 
had  been  a  soldier  during  the  Mexican  war. 

"My  first  introduction  to  him,"  said  he,  "was 
curious  enough.  When  our  army  had  entered  the 
city  of  Mexico  after  the  capitulation,  although  there 
was  no  open  opposition,  we  were  much  annoyed  by 
continual  firing  from  windows  and  the  roofs  of  the 
houses.  Numbers  of  our  troops  were  killed  in  this 
way,  the  assailants  themselves  being  in  security. 
Scouring  parties  were  sent  out  through  the  streets, 
with  orders  to  attack  any  house  from  which  a  shot 
should  proceed.  While  on  duty  with  one  of  these 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  TUB  OCEAN.  199 

parties,  I  noticed  a  solitary  soldier  standing  on  the 
pavement  opposite  to  one  of  the  finest  houses  in  the 
city.  I  rode  up  and  asked  him  what  he  did  there. 
'Whist,  Captin,'  said  he  in  a  low  tone,  'don't  be 
spakin'  so  loud.  Ye  know  the  Gineral  give  orders 
that  we  may  enter  and  sack  any  house  that  we  git  a 
shot  from ;  and  so  I'm  standin'  here  till  they  fire  on 
me  from  that  grand  palace  fornenst  ye,  and  there's 
some  fellows  waitin'  round  the  corner  yonder  to  help 
me  with  the  sackinV  'Why,  you  fool!'  said  I,  'you 
haven't  more  than  one  chance  in  a  hundred  for  your 
life,  if  you  are  fired  at.' 

"'Maybe  not,  Captin,'  said  he,  raising  his  cap 
and  scratching  his  head  dubiously,  '  but  faith  I  blieve 
I'll  risk  it  anyway ;  it  '11  be  mighty  fine  plunderin'.' 

"  I  rode  away  and  left  him.  That  night  General 
Scott  sent  for  some  of  the  Catholic  priests,  and  in 
formed  them  that,  if  the  firing  was  not  immediately 
put  a  stop  to,  he  would  have  the  finest  buildings  in 
the  city  blown  up,  commencing  with  the  Cathedral. 
The  menace  had  its  effect.  After  a  few  hours  there 
was  not  another  shot  fired. 

"  I  met  the  Irish  soldier  on  the  Plaza  next  day, 
and  expressed  my  surprise  at  seeing  him  with  a 
whole  skin.  'Och!  Captin,'  said  he,  'that's  jest  my 
luck.  Ye  see,  after  standin'  there  four  blessed  hours, 


200  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

till  I  was  a'most  dead,  who  should  come  out  but  an 
English  sarvant,  and  he  up  and  he  tells  me,  "  This 
is  the  British  Minister's  house,  and  has  a  purtection 
from  Gineral  Scott."  Bad  luck  to  me!  I  jest  missed 
makin'  sich  a  grand  for  tin.'  ' 

22d.  I  have  been  provoked  beyond  all  bearing 
to-day.  Lucy,  overgood,  as  she  always  is,  requested 
Mrs.  Parker  to  allow  her  to  continue  to  instruct  the 
children  during  the  remainder  of  the  voyage.  The 
lady,  after  expressing  her  fears  that  it  would  be  too 
much  trouble,  &c.,  gave  her  assent,  and,  as  graciously 
as  it  was  in  her  power  to  do,  her  thanks  for  Mrs. 
Howard's  kindness. 

"What  will  the  commandant  say?"  I  inquired, 
when  Mrs.  Parker  had  left  us  to  collect  her  troop. 

"  Oh,  I  asked  his  permission  first,  of  course,  and 
he  is  willing  I  should  do  as  I  please  in  such  mat 
ters.  I  shall  be  much  happier  to  feel  that  I  am  use 
fully  employed,  and  it  is  really  not  at  all  unpleasant 
to  me." 

"Well,"  said  I,  "if  Colonel  Howard  has  begun 
already  to  yield  to  your  whims,  I  can  tell  him  what 
he  may  expect  when  you  get  into  garrison.  In  the 
first  place,  you  will  have  a  Sunday  school  for  the 
poor  neglected  camp  children,  and  then  an  afternoon 
during  the  week  will  be  devoted  to  the  ignorant, 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  201 

hard-working  soldiers'  wives,  and  of  course  you 
must  have  an  evening  school  for  the  wicked,  friend 
less  soldiers.  You  will  find  so  many  useful  employ 
ments  calling  you  out  of  the  house  that  you  will 
have  no  time  to  spare  for  your  home  or  husband. 
It's  a  pity  you  hadn't  married  Mr.  Selden ;  you're 
only  fit  to  be  the  patient,  zealous,  all-enduring  wife 
of  a  missionary !" 

"  You  pay  me  a  high  but  undeserved  compliment," 
said  Lucy,  smiling  at  my  warmth ;  "I  am  not  half 
good  enough  for  that." 

Our  Spanish  lessons  are  continued.  The  bride 
and  groom  are  the  best  students  among  us.  It's  an 
odd  way  of  spending  the  honeymoon,  teaching  and 
learning ;  but  they  are  as  much  at  their  ease  as  if 
they  had  been  married  a  dozen  years. 

28d.  We  spoke  a  vessel  this  morning,  just  from 
Panama,  bound  to  Monterey.  The  Captain  asked  if 
they  carried  a  mail  from  the  United  States ;  and  re 
ceiving  an  affirmative  answer,  he  sent  over  a  boat  to 
ask  for  letters  for  his  passengers.  It  was  nearly  two 
hours  before  they  returned,  and  we  were  all  anxious 
to  get  a  peep  at  the  letter  bag,  for  letters,  written  a 
month  after  we  left  home,  might  by  this  route  reach 
us  here.  There  were  two  or  three  for  Colonel 
Howard,  all  official;  one  for  father,  and  one  for 


202       THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

Harriet.  I  took  more  interest  in  this  than  in  the 
one  from  my  own  home ;  for  both  Harriet  and  her 
father  seemed  to  feel  as  if  life  or  death  hung  on  its 
contents.  They  walked  to  some-  distance  from  the 
rest  of  the  party,  but  an  appealing  look  from  Har 
riet  made  me  keep  by  her  side. 

"  I  cannot  open  it,"  said  she,  after  many  a  nervous 
effort  to  break  the  seal.  "  Miss  Fanny,  please 
glance  over  it,  and  tell  me  at  once  if  there  is  hope." 

I  tore  it  open  ;  it  commenced  "  Dearest  child." 
I  turned  to  the  last  page ;  the  closing  words  were, 
"  Come  back  to  our  home  and  hearts." 

"All  good  news,"  said  I,  gladly;  for  a  burden 
was  taken  from  my  own  spirit ;  "  you  may  read  it 
without  fear." 

She  read  it  aloud,  as  well  as  her  tears  would 
allow.  It  was  the  sweetest,  tenderest,  letter  I  ever 
listened  to.  They  told  her  they  were  making  every 
effort  to  get  a  discharge  for  Frederick.  "  If  we  are 
successful,"  they  said,  "come  back  without  fear; 
everything  is  forgiven,  everything  will  be  forgotten, 
when  we  clasp  you  once  more  in  our  arms.  Your 
husband,  too,  shall  be  a  son  to  us  in  place  of  the 
dear  one  who  is  lost  to  us  for  ever." 

When  she  read  these  words,  O'Connor  covered  his 
face  with  his  hands,  and  shook  with  emotion.  liar- 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  203 

riet  threw  her  arms  around  him,  and  kissing  his,  fore 
head,  exclaimed, 

"  Oh !  father  !  there  is  happiness  in  store  for  them 
they  little  suspect.  If  they  had  not  for  a  time  lost 
their  daughter,  they  would  never  have  found  their 
son." 

25th.  Colonel  Howard  told  us  to-day,  at  dinner, 
the  following  anecdote,  related  to  him  by  the  gallant 

Colonel  W ,  now  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 

esteemed  officers  in  our  army. 

"  Soon  after  the  close  of  the  last  war  with  Eng 
land,  being  ordered  to  a  western  post,  I  arrived  in 
Pittsburg  about  one  o'clock  at  night,  after  a  fatiguing 
journey  of  four  successive  days  and  nights  in  a  stage 
coach.  Stopping  at  a  hotel,  I  speedily  secured  my 
baggage,  and  hastening  to  the  bar,  demanded  a  cham 
ber. 

"  '  We  have  none,'  was  the  reply,  'we  are  full.' 

"  '  You  must  find  me  a  bed  or  a  bench,'  said  I, 
1 1  am  nearly  dead  for  want  of  sleep.' 

"  '  Well,  there  is  one  room,  the  occupant  of  which 
is  out,  and  will  not  return  to-night,  as  it  is  late.  I 
must  let  you  in  there,  I  suppose,  at  a  venture.' 

"  He  showed  me  to  the  chamber,  in  which  there 
was  only  a  single  bed.  Completely  exhausted,  I 
raised  the  quilt,  and  throwing  myself  in,  boots,  spurs, 


204  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

and  all,  just  as  I  had  travelled,  I  covered  myself 
up,  and  in  an  instant  was  asleep.  I  know  not  how 
long  I  had  slept,  when  I  was  aroused  by  a  rough 
hand  jerking  at  my  shoulder,  and  an  angry  voice, 
with  many  oaths,  was  asserting  its  owner's  right  to 
the  bed,  and  bidding  me  vacate  with  all  convenient 
speed. 

" '  Yours  or  not,'  said  I,  '  here  I  am,  and  here  I'll 
stay  until  I  get  my  nap  out ;  but  if  you  choose,  you 
may  get  in  beside  me.'  So  saying,  I  threw  off  the 
quilt,  and  raising  my  foot,  displayed  my  singular 
1  coutume  de  nuit.' 

u  *  My  stars  !'  exclaimed  my  visiter,  in  a  tone  of 
dismay,  'booted  and  spurred  !'  then  with  a  volley  of 
imprecations,  rushed  from  the  room,  leaving  me  in 
undisturbed  possession. 

"  The  next  day  I  dined  by  invitation  with  a  brother 
officer,  stationed  near  the  city.  Among  the  guests, 
all  strangers  to  me,  was  a  British  officer,  who,  to  my 
great  embarrassment  entertained  the  company  by  a 
humorous  account  of  the  manner  in  which  he  had 
been  deprived  of  the  use  of  his  chamber  the  night 
before.  My  friend,  after  the  laugh  had  subsided, 
directing  the  officer's  attention  to  me  said,  '  Colonel 

,  allow  me  to  introduce  to  you  Lieutenant , 

of  the  American  army,  the  unceremonious  intruder 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  205 

upon  your  rights  last  night.'  I  blundered  out  an 
apology,  but  he  behaved  like  a  gentleman,  and  looked 
upon  the  affair  as  a  capital  joke." 

Colonel  Howard  added  another  anecdote,  as  fol 
lows  : 

"  On  the  reduction  of  our  army,  at  the  close  of 
the  war  with  England,  many  officers  were  thrown 
upon  the  world  without  a  cent,  and  at  an  age  when 
it  would  be  too  late  to  study  a  profession,  and  very 
difficult  to  obtain  any  respectable  means  of  support 
for  themselves  and  families.  Mr.  Monroe  then  oc 
cupied  the  presidential  chair. 

"A  Major  Barker,  then  stationed  in  Florida,  had, 
from  his  earliest  boyhood,  been  a  schoolmate  and 
companion  of  the  young  James  Monroe,  and  they 
continued  warm  friends  through  their  after-life. 
When,  by  the  reduction,  Major  Barker  found  him 
self  deprived  of  the  means  of  subsistence,  he  saddled 
his  horse,  threw  his  saddle-bags  across  it,  and  started 
off"  instanter  for  Washington. 

"  One  day,  a  shabby,  dusty  traveller,  dismounted 
from  a  lank-sided,  jaded  steed,  at  the  gate  of  the 
White  House.  Taking  his  saddle-bags  on  his  arm, 
the  horseman  mounted  the  steps  of  the  mansion,  and 

rang  the  bell  with  the  air  of  an  emperor. 

18 


206  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"  *  Is  Jemmy  Monroe  at  home  ?'  he  inquired  of  the 
astonished  waiter  who  opened  the  door. 

"  '  Do  you  mean  his  excellency  the  President  ?' 

"  'Yes.     I  suppose  you  call  him  so.' 

"  '  Yes,  he's  at  home ;  hut  I  reckon  you  can't  see 
him,'  said  the  fellow,  with  a  sneer,  looking  mon 
strously  inclined  to  shut  the  door  in  the  visiter's 
face. 

"  '  Look  here,  fellow,'  said  the  Major,  *  do  you  go 
in  and  tell  him  that  Sam  Barker  wants  to  see  him.' 

"  Thanks  to  the  heavy  horsewhip,  or  something  in 
the  Major's  countenance,  that  the  servant  feared  to 
trifle  with,  he  oheyed  the  command,  and  was  told  by 
Mr.  Monroe  to  show  the  gentleman  in. 

"  '"Well,  Jemmy,'  said  the  Major,  giving  the  Pre 
sident's  hand  a  hearty  shake,  'you've  taken  away 
my  living,  so  I  have  come  to  stay  with  you  until  you 
find  me  some  honest  way  of  getting  my  hread.' 
After  a  few  words  the  astonished  servant  was  sum 
moned,  and  told  to  have  the  horse  sent  to  the  stable, 
and  a  chamber  prepared  immediately  for  Major 
Barker.  He  actually  remained  several  weeks  the 
guest  of  the  President,  and  was  provided  with  a 
lucrative  office." 

Having  a  lovely  starlight  evening,  Mr.  Selden 
wanted  me  to  walk  with  him, — the  vessel  moving  so 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  207 

steadily  you  could  hardly  feel  her  motion  at  all.  I 
took  his  offered  arm  accordingly,  and  we  slowly 
paced  the  deck  until  we  reached  the  further  end, 
without  a  word  having  been  spoken  by  either  of  us. 

"Well,"  said  I,  "when  a  lady  is  invited  to  walk, 
it  is  understood,  I  believe,  that  her  partner  is  to 
entertain  her.  Meditation  is  very  pleasant  in  its 
place,  but  it  must  be  voluntary  and  not  forced ;  and, 
for  my  part,  just  now  I  feel  no  inclination  for  it;  so, 
Mr.  Selden,  please  tell  me  if  I  am  to  have  the  plea 
sure  of  hearing  your  voice  to-night,  for,  if  not,  I'll 
rejoin  our  friends,  who  were  conversing  very  plea 
santly  when  I  left  them  at  your  request." 

"  Oh,  Fanny  !"  he  ejaculated  with  a  sigh,  as  if  I 
had  interrupted  some  deeply  interesting  train  of 
thought.  V  ; 

"No,  sir,  excuse  me;  not  Fanny  to  you.  I  allow 
it  in  Colonel  Howard,  because  he  is  a  married  man, 
and  very  old  beside." 

"  Forgive  me,  Miss  Fanny — pray,  forgive  me,  for 
indeed  I  was  not  aware  of  what  I  was  saying,  I  was 
thinking  so  deeply." 

"  Well,  I'll  excuse  you  this  time,  if  you'll  tell  me 
what  it  was  that  absorbed  you  so  completely." 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  said  he,  quite  seriously.  "  I  was 
left  an  orphan,  and  brought  up  by  a  bachelor  uncle, 


208  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

•who  is  the  nearest  relative  I  have ;  and,  for  the  last  six 
years,  residing  altogether  at  college,  I  have  had  very 
few  opportunities  of  mingling  with  general  society, 
and  none  of  being  intimately  associated  with  any  of 
the  female  sex.  Judge,  then,  Miss  Fanny, — you, 
who  are  so  fond  of  the  social,  cheerful  intercourse  of 
every-day  life, — whether  the  few  months  I  have  spent 
on  shipboard  have  not  been  to  me  the  most  delightful 
I  have  ever  known ;  and  then  say  if  you  can  blame 
me  for  looking  sadly  forward  to  the  future,  made 
doubly  gloomy  by  this  brief  period  of  sunshine  and 
gladness." 

"But  you  will  be  still  near  us,"  said  I,  quite 
touched  by  his  tone  of  despondency.  "I  am  sure  at 
Colonel  Howard's  you  will  always  find  a  cheerful 
hearth  and  a  warm  welcome ;  and  my  father,  too, 
though  not  so  pleasant  a  companion,  will  be  gratified 
if  you  will  visit  us  frequently." 

"  Oh,  you  are  all  kind,  very  kind,"  said  he,  "and 
I  ought  not  to  murmur,  but  I  shall  feel  the  change 
deeply.  I  must  work  the  harder,"  said  he,  after  a 
pause,  "  and  thus  prevent  sad  thoughts  from  having 
too  much  power  over  me.  Our  Spanish  lessons,  too, 
must  be  given  up ;  you  and  Mrs.  Howard  will  be  too 
much  engaged  in  household  duties,  I  presume,  to 
wish  to  continue  them." 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  209 


"Indeed,"  said  I,  "Lucy  and  I  are  most  anxious 
to  go  on  with  the  study,  but  we  feared  to  propose  it, 
lest  it  should  be  too  much  of  a  tax  on  your  time." 

"Oh,  Miss  Fanny,"  he  exclaimed  eagerly,  "if 
you  only  knew  how  I  enjoyed  the  pleasant  com 
panionship  of  that  evening  hour,  you  would  not  have 
hesitated  to  make  known  your  wishes." 

Just  then  Mr.  Spencer  and  father  came  up  and 
joined  us,  and  we  all  continued  together  until  it  was 
time  to  retire.  I  was  glad  of  the  interruption,  for 
the  conversation  was  too  gloomy  to  suit  my  taste. 

26th.  This  morning  father  called  me  into  his 
room  and  said,  "  Well,  Fan,  I've  made  Mr.  Selden  a 
proposal,  to  which  he  consents,  if  it  has  your  ap 
proval." 

"  A  proposal !  Oh  !  father,  how  could  you  ?  what 
can  you  mean  ?"  said  I,  looking  like  a  ninny.  . 

"  Mean,  child  !  why  nothing  to  look  foolish  about. 
I  didn't  offer  him  your  hand  and  heart ;  I  only  asked 
him  to  take  a  room  in  my  quarters,  and  a  seat  at  my 
table.  As  he  is  such  a  fine,  clever  fellow,  and  a  mon 
strous  favourite  with  you,  I  did  not  suppose  you 
would  object,  I'm  sure." 

"I !  Oh  no  !  I  shall  be  very  glad,  indeed,"  said 
I,  vexed  at  my  awkward  embarrassment. 

"I  don't  know,  though,"  said  father,  musingly, 
18* 


210  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

"  whether  it  was  a  wise  thing  or  not.  I  believe  he's 
a  little  tender,  Fan,  on  the  score  of  a  certain  very 
giddy  young  lady.  I  wonder  at  it  in  a  man  of  his 
sense,  but  I  don't  know  that  you  could  do  better  ;  so 
he  has  my  best  wishes  if  he  chooses  to  make  the 
attempt." 

"  Oh !  father,"  said  I,  "  he  is  too  good;  and  besides 
he's  poor,  and  I'm  so  young.  It's  impossible  he 
should  have  any  such  intention." 

"  Odd  reasons  enough,"  replied  father,  laughing. 
"As  to  his  goodness,  you  being  rather  deficient  in 
that  quality,  will  require  an  extra  allowance  in  the 
other  member  of  the  firm ;  in  poverty  you  are  about 
equal;  and  as  for  your  youth,  that  objection  will 
have  less  weight  every  day.  There,  go  now,  and 
tell  Selden,  if  you  see  him,  it's  all  settled." 

I  went  slowly  up  to  the  deck,  and  the  first  person 
I  met  was  Mr.  Selden.  Father's  absurd  hints  made 
me  feel  a  little  embarrassed,  but  I  determined  to  be 
myself,  and  said  gaily, 

"  Father  has  just  told  me,  Mr.  Selden,  of  his  pro 
posal  to  you,  and  I  assure  you,  your  acceptance  of 
it  will  give  me  pleasure.  Understand  me  though, 
there  are  certain  conditions  to  be  premised.  I  am 
an  entirely  untaught,  inexperienced  housekeeper,  and 
there  may  be  many  failures  in  the  kitchen  depart- 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.  211 

ment ;  I  don't  expect  father  to  overlook  such  things, 
but  you  must  promise  that  should  the  bread  happen 
to  be  a  little  sour,  the  acid  shall  not  be  communi 
cated  to  your  looks  or  temper,  and  if  the  light-cakes 
should  be  of  the  consistence  of  lead,  they  are  not  to 
have  the  effect  of  weighing  down  your  spirits.  If 
you  will 

'  Be  to  my  faults  a  little  blind, 
And  to  my  virtues  ever  kind,' 

I  shall  regard  your  compliance  with  my  father's  in 
vitation  as  a  real  favour." 

"  I  will  promise  all  and  everything,  Miss  Fanny," 
he  replied,  laughing,  "  and  the  first  time  you  see  me 
look  cross,  you  may  turn  me  out  of  the  house." 

28th.  I  shrink  from  the  task  of  relating  an  occur 
rence  that  has  cast  a  gloom  over  the  whole  company. 

The  day  before  yesterday,  Sam  Parker  was  sitting 
on  the  ship's  side  fishing,  when  his  line  became  en 
tangled  with  some  floating  object,  and  attempting  to 
extricate  it  by  a  sudden  jerk,  he  lost  his  balance  and 
fell  overboard.  It  being  the  hour  of  rest,  after  din 
ner,  no  one  was  on  the  deck  at  the  time  but  myself 
and  some  sailors,  who.  were  engaged  at  their  duties. 
My  screams  brought  every  soul  up  in  an  instant,  but 
although  I  pointed  out  the  exact  spot  where  the  boy 


212  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

fell,  lie  was  not  to  be  seen  at  all.  The  boat  was 
lowered,  and  the  men  rowed  round  and  round  the 
vessel,  the  deck  of  which  the  while  resounded  with 
the  frantic  screams  of  the  mother  and  children,  and 
the  agonized  voice  of  the  father  addressed  to  the  cap 
tain,  mate,  and  crew,  to  save  his  boy,  all  of  whom  were 
using  every  possible  means  to  effect  the  desired  object. 

It  was  not  until  more  than  an  hour  had  elapsed 
that  the  body  rose  to  the  surface  from  under  the 
stern  of  the  vessel,  where  it  had  been  held  fast  for  a 
time  by  the  line  which  the  boy  had  coiled  around  his 
waist. 

Mrs.  Parker's  cries  ceased  when  she  beheld  the 
body  lifted  into  the  boat ;  and  when  it  was  raised  to 
the  deck  and  placed  on  a  sofa,  I  never  saw  any 
thing  so  touching  as  the  expression  of  her  counte 
nance,  as,  without  a  word,  she  kissed  and  embraced 
the  wet  lifeless  body.  ;i." 

"  Doctor,"  she  said,  looking  up  in  father's  face, 
"  won't  you  try  everything  you  are  acquainted  with, 
to  restore  life?  it  may  not  be  too  late." 

Every  means  of  resuscitation  were  resorted  to, 
merely  to  satisfy  the  parents,  for  there  was  no  possi 
bility  even,  father  said,  of  restoring  animation.  At 
length,  they  too  saw  the  hopelessness  of  the  case,  and 
allowed  the  body  to  be  carried  below,  out  of  sight. 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.       213 

Mrs.  Parker  first  knelt  down  by  the  sofa,  and  press 
ing  the  cold  hand  to  her  cheek,  she  murmured,  "  My 
bright-eyed,  my  merry-hearted  boy,  must  you  lie 
alone  beneath  the  dark  deep  waters  !  it  would  better 
suit  your  wretched  mother."  Then  kissing  the  lips 
again  and  again,  she  rose  and  went  to  her  room, 
with  a  face  pale  almost  as  that  of  the  corpse,  but  her 
features  perfectly  composed. 

Strange  woman ! 

The  father — where  he  sought  a  place  to  mourn,  I 
know  not ;  we  saw  him  no  more  until  the  solemn 
ceremonies  of  burial  were  about  to  commence,  at  ten 
o'clock  the  next  day.  The  coffin,  sewed  up  in  white 
canvass,  was  placed  on  an  inclined  plank,  ready  at  a 
given  signal  to  be  plunged  into  the  ocean.  Mr.  Sel- 
den,  in  his  gown,  was  about  to  commence  the  service, 
when  he  observed  that  Mrs.  Parker  was  not  present. 
He  whispered  to  Colonel  Howard,  if  it  was  under 
stood,  that  she  did  not  wish  it.  The  Colonel  an 
swered,  that  "  it  was  her  husband's  desire  that  she 
should  not  be  informed  of  it  until  all  was  over."  Mr. 
Selden  opened  his  book,  and  had  read  a  few  words, 
when  a  noise  was  heard,  and  Mrs.  Parker  came 
hastily  up  from  the  cabin.  With  a  flushed  face,  and 
her  own  loud  and  bitter  tone  of  speaking,  she  cried, 

"  Who  dared  to  bury  my  boy  without  his  mother's 


214  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

presence  ?  say,  who  dared  ?  I  should  like  to  know 
whom  I  am  to  thank  for  this  kindness  ?" 

"My  dear  Sarah,"  said  her  husband,  "it  was  all 
to  spare  you.  I  thought  it  would  be  best — " 

"You  thought! — yes — let  me  tell  you,  Mr.  Parker, 
if  you  had  done  it,  sir — if  you  only  had  kept  me  from 
seeing  the  last  of  my  darling  boy — I  would  never 
have  seen  your  face  again — never — never  !  Go  on, 
Mr.  Selden ;  you  will  see  who  can  bear  it  best,  the 
strong-hearted  man,  or  the  poor  weak  woman." 

The  ceremony  was  concluded  without  further  in 
terruption.  When  the  coffin  was  to  be  thrown  off,  I 
turned  away  and  shut  my  eyes — it  was  too  awful ; 
but  when,  after  hearing  the  plunge,  I  resumed  my 
former  position,  Mrs.  Parker,  though  pale,  looked 
more  calm  than  any  of  the  spectators.  While  her 
husband,  weeping  like  a  child,  was  being  led  away 
by  Colonel  Howard,  Mrs.  Parker  went  to  her  state 
room,  and  did  not  come  among  us  again  until  this 
morning,  when  she  and  the  Captain  joined  us  at  the 
breakfast-table,  both  so  sad  and  silent,  it  was  painful 
to  look  at  them. 

I  wish  more  than  ever  now,  for  our  speedy  arrival 
at  Monterey ;  it  is  impossible  to  be  gay  again  with 
this  scene  in  our  thoughts,  and  the  bereaved  parents 
ever  before  our  eyes. 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.       215 

September  1st.  I  have  not  felt  in  the  humour  to 
write  for  some  days.  I  have  been  seconding  Mrs. 
Howard's  benevolent  efforts  to  amuse  the  two  little 
Parkers,  and  keep  them  from  annoying  their  mother. 
Oh !  your  heart  would  ache  to  see  what  a  change 
has  taken  place  in  this  poor  lady ;  I  would  give  any 
thing  to  hear  her  scold  once  more. 

She  goes  through  her  daily  duties  with  the  regu 
larity  of  a  machine,  omitting  nothing  that  she  has 
been  accustomed  to  do ;  even  the  ponderous  work- 
basket  has  its  usual  place  on  her  knee,  and  she  darns 
and  stitches  still,  from  breakfast  to  tea-time ;  but  her 
blue  eye  has  a  lifeless  expression,  and  her  voice,  when 
she  speaks,  is  so  low  and  calm,  that  it  sounds  as  if 
she  had  no  more  interest  in  anything  under  the  sun. 
Occasionally  she  will  rouse  herself  as  if  from  a  reverie, 
and  say  hurriedly,  "  Jake,  where's  Sam  ?"  then  sud 
denly  recollecting  herself,  her  face  becomes  flushed, 
then  pale  and  settled  down  again  into  its  prevalent 
expression  of  listlessness.  Her  husband  is  very  un 
easy  about  her ;  and  father  says,  if  we  do  not  very 
soon  reach  land,  that  her  intellect  will  be  permanently 
deranged. 

September  2d.  Land  in  sight !  was  proclaimed 
from  aloft  soon  after  breakfast  this  morning.  Most 
welcome  sound !  We  were  soon  able  to  discern  the 


216  THE  ROMANCE  OP  THE  OCEAN. 

more  prominent  points  from  the  deck,  and  continued 
to  watch  with  absorbed  attention,  as  the  line  of  coast 
rose  slowly  to  view  in  the  distant  horizon.  With 
gladdened  hearts,  but  sobered  by  the  late  sad  event, 
we  were  little  disposed  for  conversation.  All  seemed 
to  prefer  communing  with  their  own  thoughts.  Never 
can  I  forget  the  heavenly  expression  on  Lucy's  coun 
tenance,  as  she  stood,  silent  and  contemplative,  lean 
ing  on  the  arm  of  Colonel  Howard,  pondering,  as  I 
imagined,  on  the  goodness  of  that  merciful  Being, 
who  has  conducted  our  solitary  ship  so  far  in  safety 
over  the  mighty  waters.  Observing  her  intently, 
and  touched  by  her  impressive  manner  even  to  tears, 
with  feelings  to  which  I  have  heretofore  been  too 
much  a  stranger,  I  could  not  forbear  saying  to  my 
self,  "Shall  I  ever  be  like  her?"  Unconscious  of 
speaking  audibly,  you  may  judge  of  my  surprise 
when  Mr.  Selden,  who,  it  seems,  had  been  near  my 
side  and  noticed  my  emotion,  replied  to  my  soliloquy 
in  a  subdued  voice,  and  most  soothing  accents,  "Yes, 
Fanny,  you  will  be  like  her ;  you  will  learn  to  be 
like  her ;  you  are  becoming  like  her  every  day." 

It  is  now  afternoon,  and  I  have  just  come  from 
the  deck.  Mr.  Spencer  says  we  may  expect  to  be 
at  anchor  off  Monterey  this  evening,  and  to-morrow 
morning  to  be  on  shore.  My  joy  is  too  great  to  be 


THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN.       217 

expressed.     I  shall  be  wild  with  delight,  and  almost 
feel  at  home  again,  when  we  have  once  more 

"  Freedom's  soil  beneath  our  feet, 
And  freedom's  banner  floating  o'er  us." 

With  the  voyage  ends  this  crooked,  blotted,  un 
sightly  scrawl.  When  I  receive  your  full  absolution 
for  such  an  infliction,  I  will  give  you,  perhaps,  my 
impressions  of  life  in  California. 

Truly,  dearest  Ellen, 

Your  devoted  friend, 

FANNY  FOLEY. 

P.  S.  I  had  put  up  my  packet  in  a  neat  envelope, 
and  sealed  it  with  a  dozen  seals,  and  was  about 
despatching  it  to  you,  with  my  good  wishes  for  its 
safe  journey,  when  Harriet  came  in  with  a  piece  of 
news  that  delighted  me  so  much  I  could  not  withhold 
it  from  you.  Her  countenance  wore  a  double  ex 
pression — of  evident  joy,  and  yet  as  if  she  felt  she 
ought  to  be  sorry. 

"Harriet,"  said  I,  "what  in  the  world  have  you  to 
tell  me?" 

"  Oh  !  Miss  Fanny,  I  am  so  happy  ! — I  mean  I'm 
so  sorry — my  poor  dear  Frederick  had  a  fall  from  a 
ladder  and  broke  his  thigh,  and  will  be  disabled  for 

19 


218  THE  ROMANCE  OF  THE  OCEAN. 

months,  perhaps  for  life.  But  oh  !  Miss  Fanny,  the 
Colonel  can  discharge  him  immediately,  without 
waiting  to  hear  from  Washington,  and  we  shall  all 
go  home, — father,  Frederick  and  I, — to  the  dear  old 
home,  and  we  shall  go  across  the  Isthmus — it  won't 
take  us  six  weeks.  Oh  !  isn't  it  enough  to  make  me 
beside  myself  with  joy  ?  I  laugh  and  cry  by  turns 
ever  since  I  knew  it." 

"And  how  does  the  scamp — I  mean,"  said  I,  "how 
does  the  dear  fellow  look  and  behave  ?" 

"  Oh,  he  is  pale,  Miss  Fanny,  very  pale,  but  so 
handsome — you  can't  think.  I  do  want  you  to  see 
him.  And  he's  so  grateful  to  me,  and  so  affectionate 
to  father.  Oh,  we  shall  be  too  happy !" 

There  is  no  pity  for  Frederick,  though,  mingled 
with  my  pleasure  at  Harriet's  happy  prospects.  I 
shall  be  almost  glad  to  hear  that  he  has  to  limp 
about  on  a  crutch  for  a  few  years.  He  well  deserves 
it  for  his  selfishness  and  folly. 

Once  more  farewell. 

Yours  ever,  most  fondly, 

FANNY  FOLEY. 


LINDSAY  &  BLAKISTON  PUBLISH 

CHARACTERISTICS  OF  LITERATURE, 

ILLUSTRATED  BY  THE  GENIUS  OF  DISTINGUISHED  MEN, 

BY 

HENRY    F.    TUOKERMAN, 
AUTHOR  OF  "THOUGHTS  ON  THE  POETS,"  "ARTIST  LIFE,"  ETC. 

A  neat  12mo.  volume. 

CONTENTS. 

The  Philosopher Sir  Thomas  Browne. 

The  Dilettante Shenstone. 

The  Moralist William  Ellery  Cbanning. 

The  Wit Dean  Swift. 

The  Philanthropist William  Koscoe. 

The  Humorist Charles  Lamb. 

The  Historian T.  Babington  Macaulay. 

The  Idealist John  Sterling. 

The  Rhetorician Edmund  Burke. 

The  Scholar Mark  Akenside. 

The  Biographer Final  Memorials  of  Lamb  and  Keats. 

This  forms,  for  the  traveller,  the  sojourner  at  a  watering-place,  or  in  the 
country,  an  agreeable  volume  for  summer  reading.  It  is  of  a  higher  order  ot 
merit  than  the  light  literature  of  the  day,  while  it  is  less  diffuse  than  works 
of  a  more  standard  character ;  it  will  be  found  both  instructive  and  enter 
taining.  

OPINIONS   OF  THE   PRESS. 

He  has  happily  chosen  Sir  Thomas  Browne  as  the  representative  of  the 
Philosopher ;  Channing,  of  the  Moralist ;  Rpscoe,  of  the  Philanthropist ; 
Lamb,  of  the  Humorist ;  Macaulay,  of  the  Historian,  &c.  A  glance  at  its 
pages,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  author,  assures  us  that  it  will  be  admitted  as 
one  of  the  happiest  works  that  has  proceeded  from  his  pen — discriminating 
with  distinctions,  with  the  accessary  illustrations  of  a  man  of  taste  and  tra 
vels. — Literary  World. 

The  idea  is  a  happy  one,  that  of  delineating  the  various  forms  of  literary 
character,  by  selecting  some  single  specimen  from  each  class,  and  analysing 
its  peculiarities.  The  execution  is  distinguished  by  the  good  sense  and  good 
taste  which  mark  most  of  Mr.  Tuckerman's  criticisms. — Evening  Post. 

Mr.  Tuckerman  never  attempts  anything  that  he  does  not  thoroughly  per 
form.  Equally  successful,  both  in  prose  and  verse,  in  this  volume  he  has 
thrown  the  graceful  charm  of  his  polished  diction  around  the  characters  he 
has  selected  Tor  analysis.  No  one  can  take  up  the  book  without  being  de 
lighted  at  every  step  of  their  progress. — Boston  Atlas. 

Those  who  like  to  think  as  they  read,  will  find  much  pleasure  in  this  de 
lightful  volume.— Baltimore  American. 

For  a  companion  under  a  tree,  in  the  present  season,  we  could  commend 
few  books  as  confidently  as  "  The  Characteristics  of  Literature,"  by  Tucker 
man — a  gentle-thoughted,  discriminating,  tasteful  series  of  analytical  portraits 
of  distinguished  men. — Home  Journal. 

Those  who  like  to  think  as  they  read,  will  find  much  pleasure  in  this  ana 
lytical  volume. — American. 

He  has  given  us  a  very  entertaining  volume,  that  cannot  fail  to  be  popular. 
— Transcript. 


MACKAY'S  JP^PULAR  DELUSIONS, 

LINDSAY  &  BLAKISTON  PUBLISH 
MEMOIRS  OF  EXTRAORDINARY  POPULAR  DELUSIONS, 

BY  • 

CHAKLES    MACKAY, 

AUTHOR  OF  THE  "  THAMES  AND  ITS  TRIBUTARIES,"  &c.,  &c. 

"  The  object  of  the  author,  in  the  following  pages,  has  been  to  collect  the 
most  remarkable  instances  of  these  moral  epidemics  which  have  been  excited, 
sometimes  by  one  cause,  sometimes  by  another,  and  so  show  how  easily  the 
masses  have  been  led  astray,  and  how  imitative  and  gregarious  men  are,  even 
in  their  infatuations  and  crimes." 

";•*-  CONTENTS, 


The  Mississippi  Scheme. 

The  South  Sea  Bubble. 

The  Tulipomania. 

Relics. 

Modern  Prophecies. 

Popular  Admiration  for  Great  Thieves. 

Influence  of  Politics  and  Religion  on  the 

Hair  and  Beard. 
Duels  and  Ordeals. 
Popular  Follies  in  Great  Cities. 
The  O.  P.  Mania. 
The  Thugs,  or  Phansigars 


The  Witch  Mania. 
The  Slow  Poisoners. 
The  Crusaders. 
Haunted  Houses. 
Philosophical  Delusions. 
Introductory  Remarks. 
The  Alchymists,  or  Searches  for  the  Philoso 
pher's  Stone  and  the  Waters  of  Life. 
Fortune-Telling. 
The  Magnetizers. 
And  various  other  subjects. 


Two  more  interesting  volumes  than  these  we  have  rarely  perused.  Through 
the  whole  runs  a  vein  of  clear  perception  of  what  is  right  and  true,  which 
enhances  the  value  of  the  book  for  domestic  reading.  —Commercial  Advertiser. 
A  more  usefu\.work  has  not  been  published  for  many  a  day,  or  one  that  is 
as  well  calculated  to  open  the  eyes  of  the  credulous  to  the  arts  of  the  design 
ing  speculator,  or  shield  the  thoughtless  from  the  evils  of  popular  errors.— 
Saturday  Courier. 

This  is  a  truly  interesting  and  instructive  work.  The  history  is  that  of  the 
frailties  and  follies  of  poor  human  nature,  and  it  may  be  read  with  profit  by 
all  who  are  apt  to  give  way  to  credulity  and  impulse.— Pennsyl  n  Inquirer. 

Every  delusion  noted  in  the  work  is  a  story,  and  every  story  is  full  of  interest ; 
it  has  all  the  charm  of  fiction,  and  must  continually  excite  the  surprise  of  the 
reader  that  such  things  could  be  to  excite  "special  wonder.  —  Ball.  1  atrwt. 
The  subject  is  one  of  profound  interest ;  the  branches  on  which  the  author 
touches  are  numerous  and  varied  ;  and  from  these  facts  and  his  established 
ability  we  cannot  but  regard  the  work  as  a  valuable  one,  promising  to  reward 
the  attention  which  it  will  be  sure  to  excite.—  N.  American  and  U.  6.  Gazette. 
The  whole  range  of  subjects  has  a  fundamental  character,  for  we  all  take 
pleasure  in  considering  the  infirmities  of  our  fellows ;  and  this  detailed  and 
connected  history  of  them  appeals  to  one  of  the  most  prevalent  and  powerful 
of  human  sympathies.  The  conception  of  the  work  is  not  inferior  to  the 
execution  Its  extensive  circulation  will  not  only  entertain  many,  but,  by  the 
engrafting  of  its  author's  plain,  common-sense  views,  it  will  open  the  eyes 
of  many  to  the  delusions  of  the  present  enlightened  age.— Evening  Bulletin. 
The  Memoirs  of  Extraordinary  Popular  Delusions  form  a  wide  field  for  the 
author  His  object  has  been  to  collect  the  most  remarkable  instances  of  those 
moral  epidemics  which  have  been  excited,  and  show  how  easily  the 
are  led  astray  in  their  infatuations  and  crimes. — Daily  Sun. 


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